Avatar: The Legend
by Brosette
Summary: A revamp to Legend of Korra. A mysterious girl shows up out of nowhere to battle for the right to be the Avatar. While learning of this girls past Korra also reveals a lot about her own. Is this mysterious girl friend or enemy? Korra will have to realize who she is and what it means to be the Avatar. (Follows original storyline but with new main character.)
1. Introduction to my Fanfic

**INTRODUCTION**

All right first off, I love Avatar: The Last Airbender, wouldn't change a thing. Legend of Korra…was a bit of a disappointment for me. It was good overall but it didn't have the same impact on me. And I had a lot of problems with it. The teen romance drama felt more like a fourteen year olds drama. The platinum plot-hole. And season two was so boring. And the movers, the Future Industries stories, and that popularity poll was irrelevant and dull. So this is my version of it. I couldn't stop thinking about it and I had to get it out somehow. Enjoy, and I can promise you it's better than the version we do not speak of.

FYI

I don't know the difference between a colon and a semicolon and no idea what a clause is so if you're hard up on grammar…bummer.

 **Major Spoil-free Changes:**

Korra, Mako, Bolin, and Asami are knocked down a year in age. Korra/Bolin 16, Mako/Asami 17

Unalaq and Tonraq are not brothers therefore Desna/Eska are not Korra's cousins. Tonraq will be called Tonrok

Time gap between books 3 and 4 is two years.

There is no popularity poll of the Avatar.

I changed some titles since the plot differed

This is a fanfiction of my creation. Mostly the same as the original anime/cartoon, but I added a character that I think adds more depth and heart to the story.


	2. Book 1: Episode 2

**Book 1: Air**

 **Episode 2: A LEAF IN THE WIND**

*Wrote this purely for the joke at the end

DAY OF PRO-BENDING FIGHT.

The gym had become their home over the years. Pro-bending had become their jobs, practice was work. And when your life depends on a game, it's not a game anymore.

"Hey Bro!" an overly cheerful Bolin poked his head into the gym. He hoped he was late enough so Mako was too tired from hitting the bag to hit him.

 _Finally_ Mako gave the punching bag a hard right cross before going over to Bolin strolling in taking his time. "Where've you been? And where's Hasook?" He snatched the water bottle from Bolin, took a few gulps and poured the rest over his head.

"Okay so the thing is-"

Oh he needed to sit down for this; Mako plopped down on a bench wiping his neck as Bolin stammered his way through explaining.

"Hasook might have kinds sorta saw Mesook and me hanging out last night and said-well yelled a lot but what I got out of it was that he'll do this last match but he's quitting after tonight." He cringed at Mako's expressionless stare then at the sweat rag thrown at him.

"Out of all the fan-girls…you had to like his sister."

Bolin ran his hands down his face, "We had a connection, at least I thought we did. She hardly fought for us when Hasook forbade her from seeing me again." Although the list of other girls he saw didn't help either. He was a hopeless romantic and all the attention from pretty girls…he didn't mean to date so many. They were nice until he had to practice or couldn't buy them something.

Mako flung his arms out in surrender, tired of this conversation, "Well he thought you did have a connection and now we don't have a water-bender after tonight. How do we even know that he'll show up or even try?"

"Well I kinda sorta promised him the prize money…" he studied the ground…the floor really needed to be swept.

Mako's eyes couldn't get wider, "Bro! This can't keep happening! There aren't a lot of water-benders left in the city who's sister, cousin, or mother you haven't dated."

"Hey she asked me out! And she looked too good to be his mother."

"We can't compete without a water-bender. Do you see the problem?" He hated seeing Bolin taken advantage of, but he was still a fool.

"Yeah but love is complicated-"

"Not that! Find a replacement, anyone decent who'd last more than a minute. Our next match is only a few days away." He'd had to move a few things around without this match's prize money. Hopefully Bolin won't get hungry in the next couple days.

"Fine." He knew it'll be dumpster diving for awhile. He tossed the rest of his morning-fiasco-feel-better burrito to Mako. Whp sighed then tore it in half and gave the bigger half back.

"And no fan-girls either!" It was still warm, he took a big bite,"I can't stand them when you break up with them after wards."

Bolin tucked the food away for later into his workout bag and took off his jacket, "She was a great water-bender that happened to be a crazy fan-girl." He reiterated,"Just a little too crazy to date for more than an hour or so. And that doesn't matter anymore because Bolin is off the market ladies!" The proclamation echoing back to him. Hopefully that didn't reflect his future loneliness. "I don't know how I'll get over her."

"I'm sure you'll find a way." Mako mumbled through a mouth-full of burrito.

"Mmmmm… serves me right, liking a water-bender girl." He stretched getting ready for an intense practice. "You know what they say, they're pretty go with the flow until you hit a rapid, then she'll just drift away."

"Hah at least she's not a fire-bender. They may be hot but they'll burn and scar you for life." Not that he would know.

"Or an earth-bender. Fight with her's like being between a rock and a hard place." He remembered this other one; he giggled to himself, "Or-or an air-bender, those girls sure can blow-"

"Bolin," Mako stopped smiling, "the only girl air-benders are Tenzin's little girls."

Bolin thought for a moment before he came up with another ending "…they sure will blow you away. Far, far, very far away."

Mako smiled to himself and shook his head at Bolin's goofy awkward smile.

BOLIN RUNS INTO KORRA


	3. Book 1: Episode 8

**Episode 8: WHEN EXTREMES MEET**

 **TEAM AVATAR CHASES DOWN EQUALIST TRUCK**

Tarrlok and his sirens came to an stop. Both late and with an audience of reporters, Korra smiled at this win for Team Avatar.

"Fashionably late Tarrlok as always" She spoke boldly and loudly.

"As you are always getting in the way," he snapped.

"The way of what exactly? You weren't here to protect them, we were."

"We were chasing the real convoy of Equalists. The convoy you missed while casing this one. We were distracted by reports of destruction of roads and endangering citizens from the Avatar and her little friends. Needless to say, they got away. So congratulations Avatar you catch one truck of Equalists. The one we were chasing had four trucks of Equalist prisoners.

"Four?" Korra was astounded.

Mako exhaled in realizaiton, "It was a decoy…"

On the other side of town, they undeterred convoy pulled into a dark warehouse. In the illumination of the truck headlights stood the mustached Lieutenant and a barrier of Equalist soldiers. The doors of the first truck kicked opened and out jumped three darkly dressed Equalist comrades. One of them walked towards the back of the truck to start the progressing line of bending prisoners. The other three trucks followed suit. The other two comrades stood in front of the Lieutenant.

"An even fifty, mostly earth. Like it matters." A dark brown haired girl presented their catch with pride.

"And at 500 yuan a head, I'd say that's a good nights work." A tall black haired boy eyed the six bags sitting behind the barrier of legs.

The Lieutenant looked over the entire batch and when he counted the fiftieth item, he kicked all but one of the sacks towards the accomplices.

"Good work, shaking the Avatar. Too bad your lackeys weren't so fortune."

The girl plunged her hand into one of the sacks running her hand through the coins, "Oh was that who that was? Thought they wanted to pass. Oh well more for us." She slung the sack over her shoulder.

The boy carried the other three cradled in his arm, "Got anymore jobs lined up?"

The last of the merchandise entered the bunker and were on their way to the cages. The Lieutenant handed the pair a booklet, "In fact there is."


	4. Book 1: Episode 12

**Episode 12: NEW PLAYERS**

 **KORRA AND MAKO GO TO AMON RALLY**

Korra and Mako made their way onto the balcony. It was a mob beneath them with Amon on stage accompanied with two Equalist bodyguards on each side. There had to be hundreds of people down there. How were there this many supporters? Did they crawl out from every sewer and back alley to watch him strip people of their power? Did they reveal themselves to support one who still hid? She did not hide, she didn't lie, and she wasn't afraid. She tore off her mask.

 **KORRAS SPEECH, AMONS REBUTTAL**

They turned to leave but were faced with two Equalists blocking their escape. Amon called up to them, "Leaving so soon, Avatar? You'll miss the main event!" A platform rose from the stage and on it stood bound and gagged Tenzin, Jinora, Ikka, and Meelo. _No they escaped_ _… Amon that crooked deceiving-_ She leaped over the balcony with Mako following they fire-bended down to the stage. By that time Amon was by Tenzins side. Tenzin stood still but furiously glared at Amon while the kids fought against their restraints.

"Do not test me Avatar! Or you will repeat Aang's legacy of being responsible for the extermination of the Air Nation!" he placed a hand on Tenzin's shoulder, it burned him but his children were the ones that screamed. She froze. This was her family, the only air-benders in existence. She couldn't risk to gamble them against Amon's word for her pride. She couldn't risk what little they had, what little she had to protect. Either way she would lose. Her knees buckled in a slow relenting surrender. Guards ran up beside them with electrified gloves inches from their heads.

Then the crowd cheered, these easily fooled and amused people cheered for their own destruction. Amon took away the benders powers but he took away the non-benders humanity. She was supposed to protect these people, so why were they fighting against her. Why was Amon?

"Why are you doing this?" a desperate plea that was met with Amon's chuckle through the electric crackle in her ear.

"I expected that you would disappointed me Avatar. But still, I expected more."

"As did we!" a voice carried over the crowds silence.

Korra looked out to the audience, settling on another masked figure that stood atop a platform in the middle of the crowd. _Had that always been there?_

"You may have overestimated the Avatar, but you underestimated us!" The yellow masked man declared. And like faces turning to attention, masks appeared throughout the crowd and balconies. Different masks of shape and size and color, but all with the same idea.

"I hope we won't disappoint." And on that cue fire, earth, and water fought against the electrified chi blockers. The one on the platform released a fire ball aimed at the space between Amon and Tenzin. Amon jumped backwards and looked out at the chaos erupting throughout the arena. He was going to end this no matter what and made his way toward Korra. She felt the gloves electric current intensify behind her before a wave plunged down on the guards, the water encasing the electric blue. The wave receded for a moment, dropping the guards unconscious, before sweeping around to create a barrier between Amon and Korra. On top of the wave rode a bender in all black with a purple mask.

"Careful, you might get your mask wet." She said coyly. Amon looked past her at the overwhelming odds he had not anticipated and ran. The girl looked back at the stunned Korra and Mako, "The Avatar's always fought for us, its time we fight for you."

Korra was amazed, "Thank you."

The girl shrugged causally, "Anytime. We'll handle this, Amon is your fight." And with that she ran across the stage where the yellow masked fire-bender was releasing Tenzin.

 **KORRA FIGHTS AMON, GETS BENDING TAKEN AWAY BUT GETS AIR, WINS FIGHT**

 **NEXT DAY SHE GIVES SPEECH TO PEOPLE OF REPUBLIC CITY**

Here she stood on stage in front of another mob. Which faces wore the masks and which were wearing them now? Did they still trust her? Believe in her? She believed they did, she trusted they did. She exhaled deeply and adjusted the microphone, "I won't hide and I won't lie to you. I stand here before you just like you. Amon…Amon took all but one of my bending powers away. It was my duty to protect you and I wasn't able to do that. And I'm sorry for that. But I promise you that I will find a way to reverse what he has done. I will restore my bending and each and every one of yours. I will restore your bending and bring balance back to the people. Taking what isn't yours to take brings imbalance not equality. I will not rest until you get back what was stolen from you, what was stolen from me. I am your Avatar." Did she reaffirm that for them or herself. She didn't need to as the crowd roared with cheers as one massive sea of confirmation. They beamed up at her, they had faith in her, they trusted her to restore their bending. And why wouldn't they? She was the Avatar.

But was there any booing within the crowd? If there was it was drowned out. Or were they silent in their loyalty to Amon. Were they hiding beneath the waves, lurking in the shadows, waiting?

Unconvinced by her speech, the purple and yellow mask disappeared from the crowd into the dark alley.

 **KORRA GOES DOWN TO SOUTH POLE, WALKS OFF ON OWN AFTER KATARA CAN'T HELP**

It was hopeless. She'd be the only Avatar to only bend air. She made a liar out of herself. She couldn't help those people if she couldn't help herself. She let the wind push her aimlessly trudging through the snow. It wasn't until there was no land left that she collapsed to the ground. Looking out over the cliff she felt small and weak. Hot tears turned cold on her cheeks. If Katara couldn't heal her no one in the world could. A thought. Korra wiped her sleeve across her face, crossed her legs and breathed. If no one from this world could help, she'll find someone in the spirit world who could. She thought of herself on the cliff of this world; the cold wasn't there, the wind wasn't there, she wasn't there. But her mind strayed at a strong gust of wind, at a rock falling while she stayed grounded to this world. She tried to focus on her past lives, Aang's life, but the connection wasn't there. It felt like she was at the precipice of remembering a lost memory. But instead of falling into it, she had to climb up to reach it. She told herself to let herself go into that abyss but instead fell backwards into the snow and felt numb.

"I can't…," she murmured into the sky, "I can't do it… I need help."

"Well no duh" a voice pierced through the cold and silence behind her. Korra flipped over to see a little girl kneeling in the snow a few steps from her. She was wearing water tribe clothes and had such light hair it reflected the sky, making it look gray.

"Who are you?" Korra thought she knew all the southern tribe members.

"I know who you are." She played with the snow near her feet, barely giving Korra any attention although she was the one who interrupted her.

"Well thats great kid. Now go play somewhere else." She sat up and faced the open valley.

"Don't you know who you are?"

"Go away!" Korra was in no mood to be taunted by some annoying-

"Don't you know who you are? Or that is-who you were?"

That made Korra whip her head around, "I know more about me than you do!"

But the kid acted more skeptical, "You sure about that?"

"What do you want?"

"I want to see the Avatar."

"Well you had your look now go home!" Korra shooed her away and tried to clear her mind, but the girl scoffed behind her.

"I don't see any Avatar."

"I am the Avatar!" She shouted out to the valley.

"Even though you can't bend anymore?"

Korra whipped her head around again, "How-who are you!"

"Forgotten, but I'm sure you'll remember me." The girl smiled but still didn't look up from her drawings in the snow.

"And why should I?" Korra scowled at the impertinence of this kid.

"Because I don't think you're a very good Avatar." She tilted her head, appraising her drawing.

"Why you little-"Korra swung her arm out to send a flurry of snow at the kid but nothing happened. Even more flustered she tried again with air but still nothing happened, "what the-" she looked around and noticed that the mountains, the sky, the air didn't feel right, "I'm… I'm in the spirit world?"

"Catch on quick don'cha?" Her hand made no impression in the snow, but still she drew her invisible drawings.

"So your a spirit?" There was something unnerving about this spirit.

"Again, your deduction skills are amazing."

"What is with you?" Korra took a step forward, fists clenched. Could she even fight a spirit without her bending?

"You don't deserve to be the Avatar." The spirit grew quiet but her words held weight, like something dreadful hung on them.

"I am the Avatar whether you like it or not!" But there was nothing dreadful about something that wasn't true.

"But you can only air-bend now."

"I saved Republic City with just air-bending. And I am the only one who can enter the spirit world."

"Just now." The spirit shrugged, its silver hair falling over its shoulder.

"Listen you brat! I am the Avatar even with just my air-bending. But I will do what I can to get my bending back!" Korra dug her feet into the ground ready for anything.

"And if you can't?"

"Then I'll still be the Avatar and I'll protect the world and I'll keep it in balance and whatever else it needs me to do! And there's nothing that Amon or you or anyone else can do about it because I am the Avatar!"

It was quiet for a moment, just Korra panting and staring at the still spirit. Then it looked up at Korra with black eyes that stared through her, "It's an honor to meet you Avatar." It bolted at Korra who froze with terror and ran right through her. Korra spun around to see where it had gone but another figure stood before her, "Aang!"

 **AVATAR AANG RESTORES KORRA'S BENDING**

 **KORRA AND MAKO HUG**

Korra ran over the Katara who was waiting outside the hut alone, "Katara! I got my bending back! Aang restored my bending!" and stopped into a hug with Katara.

When she pulled away Katara was gleaming, "That's marvelous dear! You finally connected with your past lives. I'm so proud of you!"

Her smile faded and her forehead wrinkled, "Yeah except…"

"Except what dear?"

"There was this really rude and mean little spirit that was there."

"A spirit?" Katara frowned.

"Yeah but it didn't really look like a spirit but it said… It looked like a little girl with a big mouth and silver hair." Korra began to walk into the hut but Katara pulled her back and away a few steps from the entrance.

"Silver hair?" She looked distressed and worried.

"Yeah," She tried to sound unworried about the encounter, "it kept going on how I wasn't a good Avatar and-"

Katara grabbed Korra's hands in hers, pulling her to eye level, "Korra listen to me sweetie. You must not speak to that spirit again ever."

"Why?" Not that she wanted to, but she wanted to know why she couldn't.

"It's… its a spirit that will only bring you hate and conflict." Katara could barely look her in the eye.

"Is it a dark spirit?"

Katara closed her eyes for a second and sighed, "It's a cursed spirit. Only destruction and death follows it. Promise me you will never speak to it again. And don't tell anyone about it. Not Tenzin or anyone. Promise me." She squeezed Korra's hands.

"Alright, I promise." Korra nodded dumbly.

Katara brought her in for another short hug, "Let's just be thankful that you have regained you bending. Come on let's tell the others…about your bending. Nothing else." Katara's stern voice of warning was reminded Korra of the stories she was told of Katara's heroism during the wars. She could never before imagine the sweet old caring lady leading attacks against the fire nation until…that look she gave Korra. She'd never seen that look before, she'd never seen that side of her before. Just speaking of that spirit brought tension to the air. What sort of malice could that spirit possess?


	5. Book 2: Episode 1

**Book 2**

 **Episode 1: REBEL SPIRIT**

Its been six months since Amon and Tarrlok disappeared, five months since Korra restored everyones bending and a month and a half months since she's been searching for the leader of the Masked Army. She had tried to accept that a good Samaritan gathered the benders together and to get over it, but something didn't feel right to her. The verdict was that the yellow and purple masks were the ones to focus on, but reports of those masks have been showing up more frequently and randomly. Anyone wearing that mask said that they were inspired by those benders but had no idea who they were. And reports from people who fought at the rally said they were recruited by a couple of kids who told them to buy masks and be at the rally point. So far the piles of paper was as close as they've come to finding the actual benders. Korra was near giving up but the arrival of the Spirit Festival in the South Pole was the perfect break for everyone. Korra walked into the police station for their last go at it before leaving the next day. Mako, Bolin, and Asami were already there half heartedly shuffling through papers.

"Any new hits on the mask?" Korra nudged Asami who had been dozing on the corner of Mako's desk.

"Nothing that sticks." Mako flipped through the thick binder of reports, "Witness statements are all over the place. The only solid facts are that there's two of them that got the benders together. A male 16 black hair and female 13 brown hair. But the bending statements on them varies; fire, earth, water, non-bender."

Asami pointed at the map she had been sleeping on, "And the sighting for the masks are popping up everywhere. And no one knows where they went or who they are."

"But we know he's a fire-bender and she's a water-bender. We saw that." Korra grabbed the binder from Mako.

"Not by those statements." He yawn, leaning back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. This wasn't even his job but it's taken over his real job. _I can_ _'t keep this up._

Bolin looked up from the paper hat he was folding out of a witness statement, "So the best explanation we've come up with-"

"That you've come up with." Mako clarified from underneath his hands.

"-is a rather diverse set of bending siblings made up of twin boys and quadruplet girls. All identical."

Korra slumped into a chair. If that was the best we could come up with after a month, maybe it was time to stop, "Maybe we are chasing a spirit. If I couldn't get the benders to help us in the rally only a spirit could've."

"Like that evil spirit with silver hair?" Mako muttered looking at the pile of real work he had to get done.

Korra shot him a glance over the binder of papers. Asami stood up to stretch and asked, "Why do you want to find this leader so bad?"

"Some random person off the street can put together an army of benders and have them stand by their side instead of mine? That's a person of interest I want to know."

"They were on your side."

Korra glared at Mako's back as he went to grab a drink, _who_ _'s side was he on_?

"What interests me is how they convinced all those people to go out and buy a mask during an uprising." Bolin placed the finished hat on Pabu who smoothed out his coat to go with such a fancy hat.

"Well that Lavenlotus mask was reported in a few other thefts before the rally." Asami pointed to purple marks on the map that seemed to be be thrown on at random.

"I don't think a bunch of thieves would go out of their way to help anyone besides themselves." Korra tossed the folder of those reports onto the desk which Bolin snatched up, "Asam-"

"More like vigilantes." Mako strolled back with his drink in hand, "All the crimes with that mask were from filthy rich families. Chump change to them, riches for others."

His lack of effort was really starting to get on Korra's last nerve, "We're trying to find them not join them!"

"I didn't say that I-dude!" Mako looked at the mess Bolin was creating with the papers.

He was swiping papers all over the desk and onto the floor, "Asami, what'd you call that mask?"

"A Lavenlotus?" Asami had to dodge a handful of paper Bolin tossed over his shoulder, "It's a lavender lotus mask. Was really popular with kids about-"

"Ah-ha!" Bolin held out a wrinkled report, "About a year ago a report was made of a Lavenlotus being stolen. I thought it was a flower. Thought it was a weird thing to report a stolen flower."

"So?" Mako asked from the ground picking up the papers.

"This was the earliest mention of a theft involving that mask. So they must have stolen the mask and used it in their crimes."

Asami looked over his shoulder at the report, "But it says the mask was returned."

Korra joined in over his other shoulder, "Doesn't mean they could've boughten another one after returning this one."

Asami furrowed her eyebrows, "But why steal the mask then return it when they could've boughten one?"

"A poor kid who's younger brother stole it because he thought it looked cool." Mako slapped the thick pile of dirty papers on desk throwing judgment at an annoyed Bolin, "That was one time! And that shirt looked great on me!"

Korra felt a twinge of hope, "Where was it called in from?"

Bolin squinted at the worn handwriting, "Uhhh Beyul, Earth Kingdom, up in the mountains a ways."

Mako flipped over the map to the other side of the Earth Kingdom. It was empty of marks where else every other city had at least one. "Its not too far off our course when we head down to the South Pole. Should we swing by? Look around?"

Korra thought for a moment before nodding her head, "After the festival. I don't want to bring a thief with us."

 **GOES DOWN TO SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE**

There was a crowd of people on the dock when they arrived. Among them was a face Korra rarely saw even when she lived there for sixteen years.

"This is a first, I don't think you've actually come to see me before," Korra maybe saw him three times before.

"I'm not here to see you," the man flatly answered before moving toward the other side of the dock with the crowd.

Bolin leaned over toward Korra, "Some greeting party. Who was that?" He eyed the tall lanky man who's hair was just starting to gray. He could have been noble the way the crowd bowed their heads to him.

"Chief Sukav," Korra watched as the kids ambushed Kya.

"Do you and the Chief not get along?" Mako asked curiously.

"He's not really the Chief," Korra rolled her eyes, "His father was Chief Sokka so it's more of a sign of respect than a title. That's the Chief of the Water Tribes," she pointed to an elaborately decorated ship docking next to the cheering crowd.

"What's his problem with you?" Mako inquired further.

But Korra shrugged, "Don't know, he's always been stand-offish to me. He likes everyone else though. "

Tenzin and his kids had migrated over to Sukav where he smiled and scooped Meelo up onto his shoulders while Korra walked away to find Katara.

 **AFTER FESTIVAL**

 ***UNALAQ AND TONRAQ NOT BROTHERS**

At the dinner that night Korra got to sit next to Unalaq, the Chief of the Water Tribes. They were having an enlightening conversation particularly when he asked, "So when did they decide to let you out?"

Korra's father, Tonrok, glared out of the corner of his eye.

"What do you mean?" Korra asked back.

"Tonrok and Tenzin, when did they let you leave the Southern Tribe?" he asked innocently.

"I don't know what you mean," Korra shook her head, "It was decided by the White Lotus that I stay in Southern Tribe to-" Unalaq cut her off, suddenly remembering.

"Oh that's what they told you, right." he raised an eyebrow at the glaring men down the table.

"What do you—Dad?" Korra turned to her father who looked at a loss for words, "Dad?" she repeated.

Tonrok took a breath and explained, "Korra it was in our best intentions to keep you safe and we thought-"

"The White Lotus didn't decide that I should stay here? You did?" she remembered her begging her parents to let her visit the Earth cities and volcanoes she'd only heard about.

"The White Lotus was against you remaining here in the South," Unalaq answered.

"Why?" Korra stared in disbelief at her father whom she could always trust.

But Tonrok wouldn't give her a straight answer. He only repeated that it was for her safety, but safety from what he couldn't answer. Korra felt more alone in that room filled with her family and friends than she had ever been before.

 **UNALAQ TAMES DARK SPIRIT AWAY DURING ATTACK**

 **KORRA WANTS TO TRAIN WITH UNALAQ**


	6. Book 2: Episode 2

**Episode 2: THE SOUTHERN LIGHTS**

 **IN CAVE, FINISHING TONROK BACK STORY**

"The Chief banished me out of shame. So I left for the Southern Tribe to start a new life," Tonrok finished.

"Wait I'm still confused," Bolin scratched his head, "on why you two hate each other so much."

Mako elbowed him in the side to stop talking.

"The Chief held me in high regard-"

"He adored you," Unalaq interrupted, "My father valued your option over mine, his own son. He had you stand by his side while I trailed behind. He only realized how indispensable keeping balance with spirits was when you made yourself an enemy of the spirits. Even here."

"I can't believe you kept this from me," Korra stood against her father.

"I was protecting you from the shame I brought to our family."

"You keep saying that you're protecting me by not telling me things. But how am I suppose to be the Avatar when my own father is holding me back? You're probably the reason I have such trouble connecting to the spirit world. You're not protecting me, you're making me weaker," Korra turned and ran out of the cave.

 **GOES ON TO OPEN SOUTHERN PORTAL**

 **FINDS NORTHERN TROOPS ARRIVING**


	7. Book 2: Episode 3

**Episode 3: CIVIL WAR PART 1**

 **KORRA CONFRONTS UNALAQ**

Upon entering the bright throne room Korra saw that Unalaq already had a visitor. Sukav was intently listening when is attention was drawn away from Unalaq.

"Avatar, our next training session isn't until tomorrow," Unalaq faced her with his hands behind his back.

"I know, sorry to interrupt. It's about our conversation this morning. I think sending your troops here is giving to wrong message."

"I see your father has been talking to you," Unalaq tilted his head to the side.

"Not just my father. A lot of Southerns feel that their tribe is being invaded. I know you have been told the same thing Sukav," Korra looked expectantly toward the respected village leader.

But his gaze was as icy as the room, "Don't assume things you don't know Korra. Which is quite an extensive number of things."

Korra bit her tongue remembering her father's reluctance to tell her of his banishment.

Completely ignoring Sukav remark, Unalaq continued, "I am their Chief. I'm uniting, not invading."

"I know, but if things don't change I'm afraid their might be a civil war."

Unalaq spoke his thoughts of how devastating a war between divided men and spirits would be to the Tribes. And how only the Avatar could prevent it.

"I'm usually the one starting the fights, I don't know how to stop them from happening," Korra admitted.

"As the Avatar, you must remain neutral in this conflict," Sukav spoke up, "As hard as that may be for you not to show favoritism to your people."

"They're your people too," Korra sternly remarked.

"But you are the Avatar," Sukav slowly descended the stairs towards her, "and whether you like it you not you must unite the people despite the personal sacrifices."

Korra glared at Sukav as he passed her and left the throne room.

"As harsh as it is," Unalaq said, "he is right. You must put aside your personal feelings and do what is right for the people."

Korra doubted herself as Tenzin's words came back to her, but Unalaq was certain that she would make the best Avatar yet.

 **UNALAQ AND SUKAV ARRIVE TO TAKE IN KORRA** **'S PARENTS**


	8. Book 2: Episode 4

**Episode 4: CIVIL WAR PART 2**

 **AFTER TRIAL**

 **IN HUT**

All Korra could do was hug her mother as she wept. But a knock at the door interrupted them. Standing by himself was Sukav.

"What do you want!" Korra snapped.

"I'd like to give my condolences to your mother," he sternly frowned.

"You've done nothing to help us so why-"

"Korra," Sienna put a hand on her shoulder, "it's alright."

Not wanting to feel helpless or do nothing like them, Korra stormed out of the hut.

Sukav couldn't meet Sienna tearful gaze, "I'm sorry, there was nothing I could've done."

"You could have done something," Sienna's voice shook as she continued, "all these years, you could've done something. And still you ignore us."

"Would you rather me challenge Unalaq? Declare a war for a single person's life? I didn't before and I won't now," his stiff chin was beginning to shake.

"There's still a chance for Tonrok," Sienna pleaded.

Not being able to stay another moment Sukav turned away, "I'm sorry it had to happen to your family."

"Are you?" Sienna called out to him, but he had disappeared through the door.

 **KORRA TALK TO JUDGE**

 **KORRA AND MAKO BREAK UP OVER DIFFERING OPINIONS**

 **KORRA APPROACHES UNALAQ WITH DEMANDS**

"You got my father banished to win favor with your father and I bet it just killed you when you learned he was the Avatar's father. No wonder you kept trying to take me away from him. You just wanted to use me to gain more power."

"All I ever wanted was to achieve a destiny I thought was lost. But with you, there's a second chance and I can help you achieve that destiny."

"Well I don't want your help anymore," Korra continued to give her demands.

 **DESNA DISOWNS FATHER AND HELPS KORRA**

 **ESKA STAYS WITH FATHER**

 **ESCAPES ON YACHT**

 **SAVES TONROK**

 **VARRICK, ZHU LEE, AND TONROK GO TO REPUBLIC CITY**

 **DESNA GOES DIRECTLY TO NORTHERN TRIBE**

 **TEAM AVATAR REMEMBERS RALLY LEADER AND STOPS BY EARTH KINGDOM VILLAGE**


	9. Book 2: Episode 5

***This is where my story really diverges from the anime/cartoon***

 ***Most of Book 2 I scrapped but will indicate scenes that I kept***

 **Episode 5: THE SILVER GHOST**

Beyul wasn't too hard to find as the road to it was smoothly paved and decorated with trees that didn't grow in that region. The village itself stuck out from the side of the mountains besides a waterfall. Each house was uniquely ornate along a seamless road that lead to the exquisite market. The people themselves were dressed extravagantly for their daily shopping. They, Team Avatar, in comparison looked poor in every aspect.

"Wow, this is the richest smallest town I've ever seen!" Korra felt like she was in another world without wars or hardships.

Asami looked the most comfortable walking among the villagers, "More like summer homes when people want to get away from city life." Her family had something similar in another town by the ocean.

"Some getaway…" Bolin drooled a little over the market foods,"…must be rough."

Mako didn't seem fazed by the villages allure, instead his attention was catch elsewhere, "It is for some people apparently." He watched as a pair of villagers were arguing over the outrageous price for some fish.

Bolin looked quizzically at another villager arguing with what seemed to be a rock merchant. "What do they have to argue about? How small their sauna is?" _Why would anyone buy rocks?_

They walked a little further to an average, by the village's standards which would be a mansion to most, home listed as the reporting residents.

Bolin let out a low whistle, "Classy," as Mako rang the doorbell.

There was no answer at first so Mako rang again. Right before Mako was about to ring a third time a shrill voice came from behind the door, "Alright! Alright! What?"

And the door was flung open by a bitter looking woman who was in the process of getting ready for a party. She wore a sparkling dress but wore fuzzy slippers, her face was halfway painted and her hair was up in curlers. The instant she saw them her face turned every more bitter, "Finally! What's kept you?!" Not waiting for a reply she scanning them up and down, "You're much older than our usual order but I guess that means you'll work harder."

This wasn't the common greeting of guests, especially the Avatar, in this town…was it? "Uh what?" Korra arched an eyebrow, leaning away from the overpowering sandalwood scented air came pouring out of the house.

The woman twirled back around and tried to usher them into the house, "The dinner party is in 5 hours and you have a lot of prep work and cleaning to do." And when she noticed that they were not following her, she clapped her hands and shouted, "Come along servants!"

Asami scoffed loudly and shook her head, "Servants? We are not servants." _The idea of it really_ _…_

The woman rolled her eyes and fixated on herself in the hallway mirror, "Then what do you want I'm very busy."

Mako tried not to breath and stepped up to the door, "Uh we're here to follow up on a stolen mask from a year ago. I'm with the R.C.P.D."

The woman applied a dark pencil to her eyes making the oddest of expressions, "Why would you care about some silly old mask? And why should the Republic City police care? Aren't having a rebellion with the Equals or whatever?"

The group looked at each other, not sure of how to respond to that. Mako cleared his throat. _Stay focused_ , "So do you have the mask?"

The woman now painted her lips red, "No I threw it out. It was old and I didn't want it anymore."

Korra wanted to break that mirror, "But you reported it stolen."

The woman now just seemed to be talking to her own reflection, "Uh yeah to get the servant who stole it arrested. But did the police do anything? Noooo. But when the girls handler tried to bring it back I put the police on her like that," she snapped her fingers, "That'll show 'em…trying to steal from me. They wouldn't dare show their filthy faces back here again. But the house is a mess and I need servants." She brought herself back to her dilemma and turned back towards them, "You sure you aren't servants?"

Korra stopped biting her lip, "We're sure. Um do you know where they-the servants live?"

The woman jerked her head to the left. Out toward the ledge of the mountain, "The old workhouse outside of town, but I wouldn't go there if I were you." She smiled to herself as if it was a joke.

"Why not?" Korra pried.

She put her hand on the door leaning towards them, "That place is cursed by the Silver Ghost. Took a few work overseers awhile back, but whatever-your life." And slammed the door in their faces.

The stood there in a moment of shock before Asami and Korra turned away.

"Well she was… something" Asami couldn't believe she was mistaken for a servant while Korra was just amazed at how vain that woman was, "Least we know where to go…" she noticed they were walking alone. Back near the house the guys stood arguing, "Guys! Come on!"

But they only brought their argument with them, Bolin waving his arms and shaking his head, "Na-ah nope nope nooope. No way, not going. No can do!"

Korra watched him walk away from where the woman pointed the servants lived. "What's with him?"

She asked Mako who passed her as well catching up to Bolin. Bolin tried to wave him off but Mako got him in a head-hold, "Will you get hold of yourself. It isn't real and we're not children," Bolin tackled him to the ground.

The girls watched as they wrestled in the dirt kicking up a dust cloud. Asami waved the dust away from her face, "Could've fooled me."

Korra smirked as she walked up to Mako pinning Bolin down, "Would you two stop messing around?"

Bolin looked at Korra the best he could as Mako sat on his back, "Oh I'm not messing with you, I'm not going to a workhouse. Especially a workhouse that's cursed!"

"We aren't 12 anymore." Mako leaned over to say that to his face, but Bolin took the weight change to push off the ground and have Mako face plant into the ground.

Asami stifled a giggle, "What's a workhouse?"

That stopped the fight. They looked at each other then away from one another. Bolin looked down the road from where he'd come, his past he didn't want to remember, "When the orphanages would get overfilled they'd send the most troublesome or whoever they didn't like to a workhouse. Its basically child labor for whatever the town needs."

Now the girls looked at each other making sure they heard him correctly, Korra thought she heard wrong, "That can't be a thing. That's against the law."

"Actually not." Mako wiped the dirt from his face, "If the work overseers legally adopst the orphans they can make the kid do whatever they want."

As the girls were processing the information, Bolin forced the subject to a close, "We got sent to one once. Didn't stay more than a day. It was streets from then on."

Sensing the difficult topic, Asami moved on to the other ridiculous sounding thing from the just as ridiculous conversation, "So what's the Silver Ghost?"

Mako firmly crossed his arms, "Its a bedtime story to scare kids."

"It's not a story!" Bolin reassured, "I knew this one guy who knew this other guy who knew this other other guy who heard it from his friend who said he saw her."

This town was weird enough for her, Korra almost hoped her army leader wasn't here, "Saw who?"

Mako was about to protest but Bolin continued, "The Silver Ghost! Its takes form of an old woman that steals the youth from kids by taking over their bodies while the older body turns to ash and dust."

Mako rolled his eyes, "Its a kids story. The Silver Ghost is something kids can call old people!" A group of elderly villagers at the stall across the street gawked at them. Mako pushed the group away as he called back, "Not you folks, of course." They made their way out of the village market and towards the edge of town.

The road ended about a ways back and it was all uneven rocky mountain side all the way to the other side of the mountain. It grew colder as the road lay in the permanent shadow of the mountain. Then gutting out of the mountain, in a little pocket of sun was a small building. It was run down with cracks running the length of the wall and the gate was old and splintering.

"See… it doesn't look too bad," Mako tried to tell himself as he reached out and knocked on the door. It promptly opened but only a crack. A shadow stood behind it and uttered, "What services do you need?"

 _What was it will this creepy town and greeting people?_ Mako heard his voice break then over-exaggeratedly deeper, "No-no services, we just would like to talk to the servant that worked at the Chang's residence about a year ago."

The shadow took a moment to reply, "Wait here." The door opened to reveal the shadow to be a rather plain black haired boy around sixteen. He closed the door behind them and walked off without more explanation. The court yard was empty except for a few dirty kids a little younger than them toting bags into a hut on the cliff side. There were a few smaller huts behind that that ran along the mountain side. The huts were the same miserable color as the ground, brownish black. It was nothing like the village where they had just come from.

Korra couldn't stop looking around at the nothingness but asked out of the corner of her mouth, "Services?"

Mako glanced at the small kids and hoped, "Probably house maids, servants, gardeners, that sort of thing."

"Or climbing up the side of mountains." Bolin was gaping up the side of the mountain that walled off a side of the workhouse. Scurrying up and down the mountain were kids carrying bulging sacks. They were hiking along the mountain side up and over to the other side.

"What are they doing" Korra stared up amazed and confused while Asami clenched her jaw and looked anywhere else but up.

Bolin pointed to a pile of familiar looking rocks at the base of the wall. "Rocks, they get the rocks." As the kids placed the rocks in the bags and dragged them to that hut

Their attention was drawn to a little girl that came running around one of the huts. She was smaller than the others and was cleaner, but what get their attention was the purple mask she wore.

The girl was quiet at first and looked ashamed when Korra asked about her working at the Chang's. It was Bolin reassuring her that she wasn't in trouble but that they just wanted to talk to whoever was in charge of the workhouse. The little girl squeaked that she wanted an excuse to go to the kitchen. But the hut they stopped in front of looked nothing like a kitchen. The little girl strode into the room that had dirt on the floor, a fire in the middle of the room, some sacks along the wall, and a few pots and plates stacked on a bent metal table. Hunched over one of the sacks apparently was going to be their suspected hero.

"Some people here for ya Yully!" the little girl called out as the gang entered the room. For what it looked like, it did have a pleasant aroma lofting up from the center pot on the fire. It caught the little girls and Bolins nose's attention. What didn't have their attention was the dirty kid in the corner. Who didn't even look up or turn around, "Who are they?" she asked the little girl instead of addressing her guests.

The little girl tore her nose away to look up at them, "Uhhhh…Who are you?"

But before they could say, the still crouching girl, Yully, sighed, "Nina, we've talked about this."

Then like a switch the little girl pushed them out of the kitchen and recited, "Who are you and what's your business?" Then added, "How much money you got?"

"Nina!" Yully stepped out into the doorway, "Please excuse this one. We're still working on our manners." Nina tilted her head back and grinned widely. Yully jerked her head toward another hut which Nina shuffled off towards. "But the questions still stands," she asked leaning against the door frame. Out here in the light the gang tried to hide their disappointment. Their hero at the Amon rally and last hope to reunite the Water Tribes couldn't possible be this girl. Her dusty brown clothes were ripped and baggy. She wasn't wearing shoes. And besides her hands she was covered in dirt with grease smeared up her arms, legs, even on her shoulder and up her neck with a rats nest of brown hair bundled atop her head. And she wasn't a kid at all, probably around their age maybe older by the dark bags under her eyes and was as thin as Korra's patience for the time wasted on this trip. However Korra recalled that this might be the brown haired girl that fit the description for recruiting the benders so perhaps she knew where the real leader was hiding.

"Uh I'm Korra, this is Asami, Mako, and Bolin." She paused to give the girl a chance to introduce herself but she didn't, "…and we're here to ask about that little girls mask. It was in a number of robberies and we'd like to ask a few question about it."

"And ten yuan." Bolin counted the coins in his hand, "It would've been fifteen but this kid was selling meat sticks in the market and they were sooo good."

She was capable of smiling after all, "I'll tell him that. Dekins' one of mine. I have some more if you'd like." Yully gestured toward the kitchen for them to enter.

"Don't have to ask me twice!" Bolin lead the way into the hut and helped himself to the plate with meat sticks Yully got out of nowhere, "What kind of meat is this?" He asked mouth full while the others sat down by the fire.

"Rabbit-Rat. Fresh this morning."

Korra was thankful she had passed on the offer while Mako grabbed one eagerly. But when Yully got to Asami she couldn't hide her revulsion, "I'm fine thank you. I've never had rabbit-rat before."

To which Yully muttered, "I'm sure you haven't," as she set the plate down and continued to cut and throw potatoes into the pot over the fire.

The friends awkwardly exchanges glances, settling on Korra to be the first to speak, "Anyway that little girl-"

"Nina" Yully corrected not looking up as she tossed another potato in the pot.

A bit of boiling water splashed out next to Korra. She tried to act like that didn't mean anything, "Nina. Her mask, where did she get it?"

"I got it for her."

"Interesting because it was reported stolen from the place where she worked and got fired from a year ago." Korra challenged.

"Oh believe me, I paid for it." Another splash of water made the fire sizzle.

"Ahem," Mako directed the conversation, "have you been to Republic City recently?"

Yully nodded, "Did a job there awhile back."

"What did you do?"

"Sold strawberries."

"And how long ago was that?"

"This last strawberry season."

"And when was that exactly?" Asami asked irritably.

"Strawberry season."

Bolin whispered to the tight lipped Asami, "Bout three month ago."

"And you never been there before or since?" Korra was done with this vague and pointless person.

"No I'm there every strawberry season."

Mako interjected before Korra could, "Are there any benders in this…house?"

"Nope, overseers sold benders to another workhouse. Less trouble that way."

"We heard that the work overseers-" Mako paused, "left awhile back. Do you know anything about that?"

"Yeah." She wiped her hands on a cloth and turned around to throw some spices into a bowl from the sacks along the wall, "They took me to public records, put all the kids name under me then left with all the money the house accumulated for the last few years." She poured the spices and leaves into the pot, "Haven't seen em since."

"So you're running the house?" Korra looked around, if you can call it that.

"Not exactly, the real owners showed up more mad than the overseers ever were…But I've been here the longest." She absently stirring the pot.

"And how longs that?" Korra leaned forward. She couldn't place her but this girl looked familiar.

Yully blinked away where ever she was and looked up, "Are you here to ask about the mask or me? Don't you have a rebellion you should be worrying about?"

Wow this town really is out of it. Mako cut off whatever Korra was about to yell, "That conflict's been settled with and it's over now."

"Really?" She stood up and went back to the sacks, "wow Southern Tribe sure don't put up too much of a fight." Then briefly turning back to Korra, "Aren't you from the Southern Tribe?" before turning back around.

Mako grabbed a hold of Korra and pulled her back down, straining, "Amons' rebellion… yes its over and-but the mask in the robberies are the same masks as Nina's." Trying to hold this conversation and situation together.

But Yully was trying just as hard to do the opposite, "Doesn't surprise me. That girls high spirited." She chuckled to herself before leaning against the wall, "That mask can be bought at any festival shop, I'm sure whoever wore it at Amons' rally picked it up at any one and the rest are just copying the idea."

"What idea is that?" Korra grumbled through her teeth.

Yully merely shrugged and looked out toward the door, "That something great can come from something terrible."

Just then Nina skidded to a stop holding onto the door frame so not to fall, "Yully! It Leoi and Unar!" She panted as Yully marched out the door and followed Nina behind the other huts. The gang scrambled to their feet and followed the commotion. They came out to an open space near the back of the complex where a crowd of kids, Yully, and the boy from the gate encircled around an open pit in the ground.

The gang elbowed their way to the front, Asami asking, "What's happening?" before seeing what was in the pit.

"A lesson." Yully looked impassively down at two boys fighting in the pit below them. A fit and agile boy was pummeling a chubbier boy who was just trying to get away. The kids around the pit were silent and just watched.

This was more than Korra can stand. She shoved her way towards Yully, "Aren't you going to stop them?!"

But Yully just looked back up at her with a confused look, "Then neither of them will learn anything." Making Korra feel like she asked a stupid question. But she had had it with this town's ignorance and rudeness. She made her way to the edge of the pit and jumped down.

"Stop that!" Pulling the smaller kid off of the cowering one, she tossed him to the other side of the pit. Which being down there herself was a lot smaller than she thought and felt more like a earthly cage. "He's not fighting back! Beating someone up just because you can isn't right! It doesn't show how strong you are. It-"

"Stop." Demanded a stern voice, which Korra looked up to see that it surprisingly belonged to Yully. She was standing at the edge of the pit with her kids surrounding her, "Leoi." The boy Korra had pulled off looked up at Yully, "Why were you fighting Unar?"

The little boy buffed up his chest, "He's been stealing my little brothers food for the last three days while I was gone." The big brother exhaled his adrenaline, sensing his fight was over but victory unclaimed. Korra darted her eyes away as the boy met her stare with a furious glare.

"Unar?" Yully's attention to the other boy had Korra glance at the boy sniveling in the dirt then at the children staring down at her. They were all thin, but not the boy who couldn't look up at Yully in shame, "No food, three days. And you'll do both Leoi's and Xoi's chores as well as your own for a week." Her command was adamant. Korra felt Yullys' control over these kids as well as their respect for her. Yully held the gaze of each and every kid as she spoke, "And let this be a lesson for all of you! Before you blindly support a side in a fight. Find out what they're fighting about." Yully looked down at Korra, "You may be on the losing side." And with that she turned away with the kids following her lead. Leoi was helped out of the pit while Unar was left there…with Korra.

Korra felt ready for her own fight. She leapt out of the pit and walked passed the gang who was too stunned to talk through the heaviness of the air. But they managed to follow Korra who was following Yully toward the front of the complex. Korra caught up to a step behind Yully, "I didn't know okay-"

But Yully whipped around so fast that Korra stumbled back, "Of course you didn't know and in your ignorance you ruined Leoi's chance to teach the biggest bully in the house a valuable lesson!"

How could this girl who was eye level to Korra's chin look up to her and try to act like the bigger person? Korra stood to her full height and sneered down at her. There was no way should she could excuse herself for allowing that behavior, "You call that a valuable lesson? Fighting in the dirt? They're just kids!"

Yully sweep her arm around the complex, "Do they look like kids!" to which Korra couldn't help but glance at the half hidden curious faces behind the huts. They were all dirty, thin, with torn clothes, and exhausted from heaving sacks of rocks all morning Korra deducted. Yully saw Korra's revelation, "They sleep in the dirt, they eat in the dirt so they sure can fight in the dirt. The only childish behavior I see in this entire place is yours. So before you make matters worse here, there's the door. Try not to make matters worse out there." She stepped aside and gestured them to the gate.

Korra who was fuming a moment ago was at a loss; paralyzed by her anger, shame, embarrassment. She couldn't meet Yully's stare as she walked as fast as she could out of the complex. Asami glared fiercely at Yully as she walked up to her, "You didn't have to humiliate her like that."

Yully craned her neck upward, "She did that herself. She needed some humility." Then she narrowed her eyes and mercilessly drew out, "But I doubt you would know the meaning of that word either, Miss Sato."

Asami stormed off after Korra while Bolin tried to walk past Yully as tenderly as he could, "Thanks for the meat sticks." He awkwardly waved out the door.

"Anytime." She called out to him as Mako was passing her. He slowed his pace and held her stare for a split second before she walked away and the boy from before slammed the gate closed.

It wasn't until they had made it back to the room they had rented for the night that Korra said something that wasn't murmuring under her breath, "Why that little-who does she think she is! Ooohhhh man does that scrawny little thing have some guts!" she kicked over the chair that Bolin was just about to sit on. So he instead sat next to his brother on the other side of the table.

Korra paced around the rather luxurious room that Asami had to pay for since even the cheapest room was out of everyone else's price range.

Asami tried to follow Korra around but decided to comfort her from a distance as a side table went tumbling over, "She was way out of line."

"She was-there was NO line!" Korra stuttered, arms flailing, "How was I supposed to know! I mean-how dare she say that-treat me like some-in front of all those-aaaarrrrhhhh." A stool was kicked over, "No you know what? I don't even care. She might know who organized that rally but there is no way she lead it. And there is no way that we are asking-that we need her help!"

"Absolutely, we can find the real leader some another way. Right guys?" She glanced back at the disinterested boys thinking to themselves, "Guys!" she slapped the table to get their attention.

Mako opened his mouth thoughtfully trying to word this correctly, "Did she seem to be a little off to you guys?"

"A little off!" Korra spun on him while Asami shook her head disapprovingly.

But Bolin spoke up, "Yeah there was something weird about her."

"What are you talking about?" Korra fumed barely containing her next kick to the bed.

Mako spoke quickly, "Well for one she was lying about not being in Republic City during the rally and she's definitely been there more recently then three months. How else could she have known about the Water Tribes Civil War? These townspeople still think the Amon rebellion is going on."

The girls tried to remember what she had said. But could only remember her snark remarks.

"And we never mentioned that the mask was associated with the Amon rally," Mako went on, "I said it was involved in robberies but she mentioned it at the rally. And how'd she know your last name Asami? We never told her that."

She shrugged trying to see past Yully smug face, "So what if she lied about a few things?"

Bolin piped up, "She lied about not being an earth-bender."

"How do you know she was an earth-bender?" Korra crossed her arms, irritated that she might have the slightest possibility of having to see her again with all these questions the boys had.

Bolin stood up and walked toward the door, pointing to the floor, "There was some hasty earth-bending on the floor right when you walk in, probably a secret storage hole. I bet that guy who first answered the door went to tell her before we found Nina."

"You think she's hiding something?" Asami tried to remember anything about the floor besides how dirty it was.

"Definitely," Mako stood next to Bolin, "You notice how she kept turning away and fiddling with something when she was talking to us?"

"How she was vaguely talking to us-" Asami added before Korra shouted, "Need I remind you people that Unalaq is out there right now looking for me? I need to fix this prob-we don't have time for this. Anyway the girl we're looking for was a water-bender. So she's obviously not her!"

"But she could still help. If she rallied together with the benders, I bet she could help us rally the tribes."

"Mako does have a point." Asami looked hopefully at Korra.

After a moment, she groaned in frustration, "Fine one night. But if she's not on board with us by tomorrow morning we're leaving."

"But who's going to talk to her?" Bolin pulled out a meat chunk from his coat and fed it to Pabu.

The others nodded at each other and Mako clapped a hand on Bolin's shoulder, "She seemed to hate you the least."

"Man…"

 **LATER THAT NIGHT**

He didn't think a stake out would be this boring. Up until recently, nothing and absolutely nothing happened, but just a little awhile ago he spotted Yully leading a bunch of her kids throughout town to the train station. He was instantly suspicious as she wore clean clothes; dark green pants, a dark purple hooded jacket and black shoes. He watched as all the kids and that older guy, the gate guard, left on the train. Except Yully, she started to jog back towards the workhouse so Bolin followed her. But once she got into the center of town she dodged down an alley, then another, then another. Bolin was keeping up with her until then where he couldn't feel any vibrations from her running. He rounded a corner where he felt her move last and nearly collided with her blocking the alley.

"What are you doing?" She asked, trying to catch her breath.

I guess that whole idea of how she hated him less was just being hopeful. "Ah oh uh nothing. Just taking a nightly stroll through these small dark scary allies for ya'know relaxation." He hoped he looked more relaxed than constipated.

Her frown grew into a snarl, "You and your friends following me?"

Bolin gave up trying to pretend, "Yuuupppee pretty much."

"Well don't." She waved him off as she turned back down the alley, "I'm kinda busy here so go home Bobo."

"Wait listen just hear me out." Three big strides brought him to her pace, "It was my idea to follow you because I think you can help us out. I know you already helped Korra out at the Amon rally but just one more big help would be awesome. You know about the Water Tribes? If you can convince them to not have this civil war and maybe help us capture Unalaq, the bad guy, with some of your awesome bending skills we would owe you like big time."

"What makes you think I'm a bender?" She continued zigzagging through out the allies as Bolin followed beside her.

He looked away to seem aloof at his cleverness, "Well as an earth-bender myself I notice a few things about you. You move like an earth-bender and you listen like one too.

"Wow, figure all that out from stalking me?" she darted down another alley that opened up to a junction of allies with a well in the center. But before she had the chance to run Bolin jumped in front of her, "No, but I'm right. Right? Please tell me I'm right then you can go about your creepy errands. Oh and come with us to help save the water tribes. Please?"

He reminded her of one of her kids. A big kid, but still… that face, "Fine… no, no, yes and no. Goodnight."

She tried to get passed him but he blocked her again, "Wait what? One more time?"

"Look you need to leav-"

"So are you an earth-bender?" He was _just_ like her kids.

She gave in with a sigh, "Yes."

Bolin threw a fist in the air, "Haha called it! So how advanced are you? Can you metal-bend?"

Her eyes narrowed, "Yeah… can't you?"

And his big excited smile turned to a half smile, "No, not yet. I've been practicing but-"

Yully grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the well, "No time like the present! Here I'll show ya." And she pulled out a metal cable from the wells spinning rod and wrapped it around Bolin's wrist securing him to the well. Satisfied, she turned around and started down one of the allies.

"Hey!" he tugged at the cuffs but they wouldn't budge, "Hey wait! I can't get out of this!"

"Kinda the point!" she yelled back at him, "But your friends can rescue you once they decide to stop hiding in the shadows!" she yelled into the night.

Bolin looked around confused, "Uhhh…but I came alone!"

That made Yully stop in her tracks, or maybe it was the towering brute that came out from a dark doorway a few steps ahead of her.

"Well well the thief is revealed." His husky voice rumbled down the alley shaking more brutes out from the shadows. "We were on our way to ask you if you knew who earth-bended their way into the storage room, stole all our money." He shook his head clicking his tongue. "Hope you said bye to your kiddies." He shot out a fireball towards Yully who reflectively ducked but he leapt towards her and pinned against the wall.

Holding her up by her jacket, her feet scrapped against the ground, "Wait! Viddi, I have something to trade you for it. All of it!"

He let out a short hardy laugh before tossing her on the ground, "You ain't got nothing orphan."

"I have the Avatar," she coughed out.

The head gangster, Viddi, considered this, "The Avatars on the run. Why would you have any idea where she is?"

"That's for me to know and you to never find out."

His golden grin was sly, "We'll find out soon enough."

"I don't have that much time in my lifespan." Yully stood up trying to ignore her stinging back, "I'll give you the Avatar in exchange, you leave the orphans be and I get my papers."

Either he missed that jab or he didn't understand it, "What would we want the Avatar for?"

"The rebellion leader in the Southern Water Tribe wants her. And I bet he'll pay a fair price for her. More than you can count, but a lot more."

Viddi had heard of this water war between the tribes and he knew Yully to be a thief of her word, despite her ulterior motives.

Bolin, however, was not understanding any of this, "What are you doing?"

But Viddi didn't like wasting time, "Deal, before sunrise."

"Fine." She turned back to Bolin but he was being cut from the rod by the gang's metal-bender.

Viddi stood towering over Yully, "And to make sure you don't run on us, we'll just hold on to your little friend."

The gangster now held Bolin on a metal lease, "Wha-me? No no no we're not friends we just met!"

Viddi looked back momentary at Bolin, "Then it won't be a worry for her to leave you!" Then tilted her chin up and gave her a foreboding promise, "But when we track you down and drag you back here to see what we did to him, you'll be wishing you were so lucky."

She jerked her head out of his grasp and made her way toward Bolin, "I'll be there with the Avatar and I don't want any damaged goods back."

"Am- am I the goods?" Bolin pointed to himself looked hopelessly at Yully.

"Just shut up and do as you're told. And we might have a chance of getting out of this alive," she whispered as she walked by.

"Is there an un-alive option?" but she was gone down the labyrinth of alleys and he was getting dragged away, "Wait you can't do this. You saved her from Amon just to betray her and give her to Unalaq?"

Viddi laughed manically, "Haven't you figured it out yet? It's all for one and none for all with her. That girls got so many holes in her conscience that…well it's a hole."

Yully was wracking her brain while she grabbed the curry sack. How much was a believable amount for a ransom? How long till sunrise? Yully had just began to mix the other golden spices together when the rest of the party showed up. And they did not look they were having fun. "Ah finally, been waiting for ya."

"And why would you be waiting for us exactly?" Korra had wanted to sleep but Mako insisted that something went wrong and so they came to investigate. Looks like his instincts were right again.

"Well I assumed you'd be wondering where Bobo was at eventually." She threw a hand-full of saffron and mustard into the bowl.

Mako attention was on full alert, "Bolin? Where is he?"

 _Oh boy here we go_ , Yully stood up brushing off her hands on her pants, "Ah-ha well uh the thing is…actually kinda a funny story. So he's following me and starts talking about the rally and me helping you all out right. Turns out a bunch of gangsters were listening and heard that I stole a bunch of money. Now they want it and are holding him hostage till I come up with the money. And there is no way of him escaping because I kinda put some metal cuffs on him when he said he couldn't bend metal so he'd quit following me. But that kinda just helped the gangsters out…anyway they say to show up with their money before sunrise or else."

No one could believe what they just heard. But Asami was the one to speak up first, "Or else what?"

Yully scratched her neck, "I don't really know. I always paid up on time." She was able to let out one awkward chuckle before Mako ran over to her and pinned her against the wall.

"You think my brother getting kidnapped and held hostage for your debts is funny?!" Asami and Korra didn't even attempt to calm him down.

 _What was it with the pinning tonight_ , "Well not like 'haha' funny. More like irony and not until a few weeks has past funny."

"Where'd they take him?" Korra demanded from over Mako's shoulder.

"Back to their place outside of town a ways." _Why was everyone so tall_ , Yully stood on her tip toes, "Now can you let me down so I can work on my plan to save Bortin?"

"Bolin!" His grip on her jacket tighten.

"What plan?" Asami asked.

"Let me down and I'll tell you." Mako reluctantly eased her down and let go, "Thank you. And the plan is to give them the money in counterfeit." She hardly explained as she walked over to the metal table.

"How much did you steal?" Korra couldn't believe her so called hero was a thief.

Yully heaved the pile of plates and pots to the ground, "1 million yuan. Give or take a few thousand.

"How come you don't just give them the money if you did steal it?" Asami asked.

"Because I spent it."

"All of it?" Korra didn't think she'd even seen a million yuan in her life.

"Yeah pretty much." She dragged the table over to the bowl and began making coin sized pieces out of the metal and dropping them in the golden powder in the bowl.

"On what?"

Yully took out the now golden coins and threw them in an empty sack, "On my silk dresses and diamond necklaces! What do you think!"

Mako grabbed one of the coins flying through the air, examining it, "They're never believe this is real."

Yully didn't pause, "The markets in Republic City believed it. But just in case one of 'em does have a brain, we'll have to get in, get Bobin, and get out-."

"Bolin!" Mako squeezed the coin in his hand so hard all the gold dust rubbed off in his palm.

"As fast as we can. Which could be going faster if I had some help here!" She shouted at Korra, who only retorted back, "What kind of plan is that?

"The best one you got!"

"Why don't we just take this matter to the local authorities?" Asami didn't like this shady approach to business exchanges, even if it was a shady business.

"Because they're on the gangsters payroll."

"What?" Mako took offense to the idea of a bad cop.

"How do you know?" Korra was going to smack her by the end of the night.

"Because I do! If we waltz down to the police and tell them, they'd special delivery us right to the gangsters door! Gift-wrapped with a big bow and a box of chocolates! Now will you help me make a million yuan in rock and spices please?" With one sack fill she started on another.

Asami waved her hand to bring the conversation down to speed, "So you are an earth-bender?"

Yully dead-pan stared at her while morphing the metal into coins, "What tipped you off?"

"So you lied to us before?" Korra redirected Yully's attention to herself.

"Yeah well you see I'm a multi-talented bender as in I am also able to bend the truth. Are you going to help or not?"

Korra looked down at the bowl of swirling gold coins, "I can't"

"Can't or won't?" She threw the coins into the sack with extra force.

"Can't…I-I can't metal-bend…" she was able to get out.

Yully stopped for a second, staring amazed at Korra, "Can't-geez what kind of Avatar are you?"

That did it. Korra stood right up and yelled down at Yully, "Alright, just who do you think you are huh?! You want to fight? Comon lets see who's talking big then!"

"If I had a million yuan, I'd bet it on your ego!"

"I'm not some petty thief that steals from merchants and blows the money on who knows what. Once we get Bolin back, we're letting the gangsters have you!"

"Yully?" a timid voice squeaked from behind the door frame. It was Nina on the verge of tears, "You're not leaving us are you?"

Yully glanced back at Korra before kneeling down in front of Nina, brushing her hair back, "No, sweetie no, of course not. Not without you and the others." She booped Nina's nose and smiled playfully, "Tonight's the night I promised you. Remember?"

Nina's eyes widen and bounced on her toes, "Republic City?"

"You betcha. I have your papers and passports so go and get everyone packed up."

"Now?" she stopped bouncing but her smile got bigger.

"Mmhmmm, half the house is there already. I was just waiting for the rest of you to get back from work. You'll love the city at night, it glows brighter than the stars. Now go on, get!" she swirled Nina around and gave her a little swat on the butt, propelling her off yelling for everyone to get ready.

The smile instantly slipped off of Yully's face. She stomped opened the secret floor compartment and took out stack of papers and booklets then walked back through the other's stares to continue making more coins.

How could she make Korra feel guilty over things that obviously wasn't her fault, "The money…Why didn't you say it was for them?"

Yully paused again to scowl at Korra, "Like you'd care, I'm a thief right? Who lets those kids fight in that barbaric pit. Do you even know what that is? It's a pit that the overseers would throw us into and have a 'public display of discipline'. And who do you think provoked them so they'd be too tired to discipline the really little ones? Like Nina?" she shook the memories out of her head or just realized that they'd never understand so why bother, "Why don't you lot make yourselves useful and get those kids on the train out of here."

Yully went back to work with the coins leaving the gang again speechless. Not able to look at each other they walked out of the hut to gather the kids.

The gangster place was right up along a stream with glass walls on either side, making the hall transparent. As the sky had yet to blush pink, there were dull yellow lanterns ceremoniously lining the hall. The vaulted ceiling seemed to extend their guided walk towards the awaiting Viddi. Korra held four sacks while Yully cradled one. They stopped a few steps away, set down the bags and waited a moment.

"I have what you want! Now show me what I want. And the boy too!"

 _She must have her priorities messed up_. Korra watched as they brought out a wide eyed and gagged Bolin.

Viddi smiled to himself, "We'll exchange the least important items first." Then tilted his head toward Bolin, "Which do you think you are?"

Yully kicked the first sack over, spilling the gleaming coins over, carpeting the hardwood floor.

Korra took a quick inventory of what they had brought and whispered, "Items? What else did you bring?"

Yully jerked her head towards the wall, "It's to your right."

Korra turned her head to watch through the reflection as Yully swung a clenched fist down on her head. With her two items sprawled out on the floor, Viddi pushed Bolin towards Yully now standing over Korra's body as the other gangsters collected the sacks. Viddi then took out a folded piece of paper and waved it tauntingly at Yully. She left Korra on the floor and walked towards Viddi. She passed Bolin along the way, giving him a wink allowed her to see out of the corner of her eye that a gangster about to hit Korra over the head for good measure. The tense stillness of the air erupted, "Korra!" and the turbulence only intensified as Korra jumped up to disarm her would be attacker. Yully tore off the metal cuffs from Bolin's wrists then watched helplessly as Viddi burned the papers in his hand. Then the glass wall from the land side shattered as Asami and Mako drove a luxurious Sato-mobile into the the hall.

The pursuing fight consisted of elements on each side battling strength against skill. The seven gangsters had the strength but Team Avatar plus Yully had the skill so it was a decently even match. Some of the gangsters even had some Equalist gloves. Yully actually assisted Korra as Korra was knocked down and walled off against two benders. A smash of more glass and water rushed in from the river, washing the gangster off their feet. Korra's quick water-bending skills with Yully's ever watchful eye put them in the advantage. Asami held her own with her marital arts against a water-bender wielding a spiked ice club. But the tables changed when Viddi fire whipped Bolin across his legs when he was fighting another gangster. Bolin's cry of pain made everyone look at the end of the fight as Viddi stood over Bolin threatening him with another whip across the face. Mako's flame extinguished immediately while Yully and Korra dropped their earth and water.

"Restrain her!" smoke curled out from Viddi's nose and mouth. Korra tensed up, but only flinched at the sound of a hit and splash on the other side of the room. Yully sputtered face down in the water on the wooden floor as she strained against a gangster kneeling on her back with one hand beside her head donning an electric glove. "You really didn't think we were going to let you go after what you did?" Viddi called out to her, "You're a fool and now you belong to me. So you better get used to it." Turning his attention back to Korra he shrugged almost apologetically, "Avatar this didn't have to go so badly. But let me assure you it can get much worse." The dragging fire whip in his hand sizzled at the touch of water, "There is still a chance to save your friends."

But Korra didn't get even the chance to think as Yully kept squirming from underneath the gangster. "No, don't do it Korra!"

"Quiet!" The gangster landed a solid punch to her side. Korra wished she'd shut up so she could think.

"Ahhhhhhahahahahaha is that all you got? My orphans hit harder than that!" she laughed painfully.

"Shut her up!" Viddi was so infuriated he thrashed his whip across the floor, making it steam.

But Yully managed to get her arms out in front of her and throw him off.

"I'm warning ya. I'll do it!" he kicked her in the stomach, stood back, and held out his gloved hand.

"No you won't!" she spat weakly at him, "You're a coward! There isn't a man between the lot of you!"

"You asked for it!" He aimed and fired.

And all the settled air was ferociously aroused with an electric explosion throughout the room. A vibrant blue aura encased all of the stiff standing gangsters in the room. After a moment the bright electric light was gone and the rolling thunder of bodies hitting the wet floor followed. The air, wrung out of all its toxins, felt light and clean and just in time for the new day.

It happened all so fast, Asami missed half of it by blinking, "What the-What happened?"

Mako helped Bolin to his feet, "I don't know but let's not stick around to find out."

Bolin stood gingerly on his left leg, "But what about…?" He looked over at Yully laying unconscious next to the gangsters.

Korra looked wide eyed at the frail still figure. This fight didn't make sense, she didn't make sense, this entire town was in their own world of weirdness. "Forget about her! She's the reason we're here in the first place!"

"Exactly!" he limped over to her, "She was at the Amon rally and can help us with the Water Tribes."

"You're kidding! Her?" Asami glanced over her shoulder from under the car's hood, at least that freak electric current didn't get the engine.

Mako's eyes drooped with sympathy, "We can't just leave her. This was her plan and it worked. We owe her that."

"She hit me harder than she was supposed to!"

Bolin pulled Yully's limp body into his arms, "But she warned you when that guard was going to hit you. We'll take her back to town and put her on the train for Republic City. We'll just tell them she's sleeping and by the time the train gets there she'll…" He had made his way over to the car but noticed that the gang was staring back at him with more astonishment and bewilderment than warranted. "What?" He followed their gaze toward Yully. Yully's hair had came out of the bun and was soaked from all her thrashing. Water dripped down from her long hair into a puddle of brown water. The dyed brown water dripped away revealing streaks of silver.

Admittedly startled Bolin dropped her, "What the heck!" wiping his hands on his shirt.

 _Impossible._ Korra felt like she was in a dream real enough to convince you if you didn't look too closely. She'd already had this dream. _No_. She'd already had this memory…she couldn't escape from it. It haunted her confidence and diminished the civil war and Unalaq to afterthoughts. The spirit that harassed her months before lay fleshed out at her feet.


	10. Book 2: Episode 6

**Episode 6: THE ORIGINAL AVATAR PART 1**

Yully awoke in darkness, the only light streaming out across the ground. She tasted iron, was is blood or was she in a metal cage? Muscles ached as she stretched them the best she could, filling out the cocoon restraints wrapped around her.

"Who are you?" a grave whisper demanded.

Yully lifted her head, peering at the figure of gloom in the opposite corner. Perhaps it was the rembrandt lighting but Korra bore a furious glare at her. She let her head fall back and breathed deeply before croaking, "Where are we?"

Korra stayed adamant, cursing the silver hair that draped over the cot, "What's your name?"

"Are we on an airship?"

"Why is your hair silver?!"

"Shame there's no windows. I do love the ocean."

"Did you contact me in the spirit world!?"

"Man I'm starving, is it time for food?"

She kicked off the chair and bellowed, "Who are you?"

"Look!" Yully peered over her shoulder, meeting Korra's hideous glower, "Obviously we both have questions here. So how about a little quid pro quo. You get me some tea and depending on how good it is I'll answer your questions." Only a low growl, blindly light, and the slam of the door was what she got, "Or we can get absolutely nowhere!"

Yully's muffled yell followed Korra down the hall no matter how fast she walked. Storming into the conference room Korra fell into a chair around the table where the gang quieted.

"Find anything out?" Mako began the inquisition.

While Asami looked more concerned for the fuming Korra, Bolin was plagued by other mysteries, "Yeah like what's with her hair? I'm not saying it doesn't work for her, it does, but why?"

Barely able to keep herself at that table, Korra flashed back to those black eyes against the white snow, that silver hair. Katara's frightened warnings echoing deeper into those black eyes; her very specific warnings. Korra pushed back from the table, "I need to get Tenzin. Do not let her off this ship!" She ran down the stairs to the bay-port, hitting the button to lower the hatch door as she jumped on the closest jet-ski. When there was enough clearance, she cranked the lever full speed, flying off the door-ramp and headed toward Air Temple Island, across the Mo Ce Sea. She sped away from the airship which was docked at a small village port on an island.

 **KORRA IS CHASED DOWN BY DARK SPIRIT**

 **HAS VISION**

Korra sees a reflection of herself, yet it's not her.

"Who are you?"

The reflection smiled through curled lips, "I am the Avatar."

"No you're not. I'm the Avatar," Korra firmly told it. But this time the reflection mirrored what she said.

"I'm the Avatar!" Korra and the reflection shouted.

"Then who am I?" Korra asked.

"A thief, just like me," the reflection pulled off its face, Korra's face, to reveal Yully beneath the mask. Then it peeled off the rest of the body. Korra stared horrified at the reflection of herself and saw Yully. Then the reflection tore the Yully mask off its face. And there stood Aang.

"Just like me," he repeated as he tore off another mask. It was Roku, who repeated the same line. Then Kyoshi, then Kuruk, then Yangchen until the masks tore off so quickly it was a blur. Korra saw so many faces it took her a second to realize the masks had stopped. Looking into her reflection she saw a lanky young man around her age with spiked black hair.

"Who are you?" Korra asked.

"A thief, but my friends call me Wan," the man smiled, "I'd like to tell you just who I am. And how I became the first Avatar."

 **AVATAR WAN RECAP**

Wan is a poor guy trying to get food for his friends. He tricks the Fire Lion Turtle, who lives along the path to the Spirit Wiles, into giving him fire. He gets banished but not until after he gets food to his friends. One day while walking along the spirit forest he finds a helpless spirit animal, Mula, stuck in a human trap. Seeing the other fire-benders coming to collect the animal, Wan defends it and releases it. Becomes friends with spirits and masters fire. A year or so passes and he comes upon Raava and Vaatu fighting. He injuries Raava so Vaatu can escape. Learns that he messed up. Raava, although hurt chases after Vaatu while Wan travels to other Lion Turtles with spirit friend, Aye-Aye, to get other elements and masters them along the way. Aye-Aye tells Wan of Harmonic Convergence coming up and that it's the most spiritual event in 10,000 years. Wan knows that's where Vaatu and Raava will be. Heads to Tree of Time and mediates in the hollow of it with other people from different villages. Vaatu arrives and scares off other people except Wan. Vaatu tempts Wan by telling him that if they teamed up, both of them will be immortal and stronger than Raava. Vaatu explains that only one with the ability to bend all the elements can bond with a spirit as powerful as he or Raava. But Wan fights back. He is hurt but Raava saves him and takes a beating. Wan creates a field around Vaatu made of all the elements and encloses him withing the Tree of Time. Only someone with the power of all four elements can open the Tree of Time. Other people come back and treat him as hero, asking how he tricked the Lion Turtles into giving him all the elements. Wan realizes that if anyone could get the power of all the elements then anyone could release Vaata. Makes a pact with Raava that if she bonds with him, he will close the portals and keep anyone from releasing Vaatu again and that he'll protect the world. Raava agrees and merges with him. Together they close one of the portals and evacuates the humans from the spirit world and the spirits from the human world. As they pass by the Tree of Time, Harmonic Convergence happens and he and Raava are officially bonded. Humans and spirits witness Harmonic Convergence together for the last time. After everyone is in their place Wan closes up the other portal. The humans had asked their towns' Lion Turtle for element and got it but when they went to other Lion Turtles they were refused and started causing trouble. Huan protects the innocent people. Lion Turtles go into hibernation as there are no more spirits and humans were becoming too greedy.

 **KORRA WAKES BY OOGI LICKING HER FACE**

 **SHE WASHED UP ON AIR TEMPLE ISLAND**

It had been all of 2 hours since Korra left them stupefied on what to do in the meantime. It was now nearing nighttime, all of them had been up since yesterday. Going with the idea that Bolin was the best candidate to speak with her, he was giving the treacherous task of serving her dinner. With the time to themselves, Asami took a chance, "Hey, why'd you and Korra break up."

 _Oh man this sucks_ , "Uh just didn't work out," he sipped his soup as loudly as he could.

She knew the soup wasn't that great, she was a poor cook. It was a wild hope but she couldn't stop thinking about it, "You…you didn't break up with her for me did you?" To which he began to breath in the soup. After a fit of coughing and a swig of juice he hastily wiped up the mess, "No I-it didn't work out. We had a fight. She's still probably mad at me, I am an idiot sometimes." He retreated over to the sink and diligently washed his dishes.

She swirled her soup around the bowl, "Because I still like you…"

Sighing he wrung the rag out mercilessly, "Asami, we gave it a shot."

After a brutally long awkward moment Asami asked, "And you don't believe in second chances?" the spoon clanged against the bowl.

 _Please let this stop happening_ , "No-I mean I do but-" Right before he threw himself out the window he heard the most beautiful sound; Bolin yelling out in distress. He tossed the rag into the sink and made his way toward the door, "I gotta-can we-we'll talk later." And he got out of there.

 _Boys are so stupid_. Asami pushed her bowl away and laid her head on the table.

Steadying the tray of food, Bolin knocked on the door, "Hey uh Yully?", silence, "Got some dinner for ya. I'll have to uh…it might be a little weird but I'm going to have to feed it to ya but…" That was the best way to feed her that they could come up with after much debate. He hoped she didn't have to use the bathroom. After more silence he unlocked the door, took a deep breath and opened the door, "Good eve-WHAT?!" The tray clamored to the floor spilling everything over the floor; the pork bun even managed to roll over to the discarded restrain jacket folded neatly in the corner.

"What in the world are you doing?!" He squinted into the sunset rays, gaping at the silhouetted Yully who was doing some odd sort of…he didn't even know what to call it. She was on her hands and feet but upside down with her belly toward the ceiling wearing skin-tight shorts that ended mid-thigh and a black shirt with the sleeves bunched to her elbows. "Mako!" He yelled down the hall before taking a step into the room, "How'd you get out?" silence "Yully? Hellooooo you with the stretching and unnatural bending?" he stuck his foot out as far as he could and nudged her leg, "Yully?"

He flinched and took a step back when she inhaled sharply. He squatted down so he could see her slowly open her eyes and smile, "Good evening." Although from this angle it looked like a frown.

"What are you doing?" His head followed her legs as they kicked off the ground and gracefully set her back on her feet.

"Mediating" she nonchalantly doubled over so she hugged her legs while still standing.

He stood and vaguely pointing to the jacket, "No I meant what are you going out of your-what kind of mediation is that?"

She walked her hands out so she was laying on her stomach before pressing up so her torso was off the ground, "Yoga, care to join? It's vital to exercise every joint and muscle in the mind and body."

"I don't think I can," he thought she would snap when she lifted her feet up so they almost touched her head.

Unraveling fluidly she sat knees bend, feet together, shaking out her neck and shoulders, "Suit yourself" as she began to rock back and forth.

"How'd you get out?"

"Another benefit of yoga is that it makes you very flexible-" she rocked all the back so she was standing on her shoulders, legs in the air, "and nimble."

Bolin eyed her up and down, "Uh-huh yeah okay—Mako!—look Korra told us that you had to stay in the jacket."

"Her precise words were to not let me off the ship and I'm still on the ship."

"Yeah but…how-" he remembered what they discussed before, "We need you to stay on the ship and this is the only way we can."

"Asking me would've done the trick. Your best choice was tying me up?" She brought her legs down over her head and pushed herself onto her knees.

Making him feel silly and irrational was not part of the plan, "Well we didn't know if you were dangerous or not."

"Dangerous?" she snickered as she laid on her back with her knees still bend and leisurely tucked her hands beneath her head, "Do I look dangerous to you?"

Bolin gawked at the bizarre angle, "Uh…MAK-Mako," He turned to yell down the hall but found that Mako had arrived.

"What?" he exclaimed rubbing his ear. Bolin took a step back and pointed at the problem. "Yully! What are you doing?"

"Would you like to join me in some evening yoga?" she offered stretching her arms over her head.

Mako was taken aback by the scene, "What? No! What are you doing out of your restraints? And when did this room have a window?" He pointed open-palmed to the scrunched up metal pried in from the hull.

Yully swung her legs out and rocked onto her feet to standing in a single motion, "Man if it means that much to you guys I'll put it back," she pulled her green pants over the shorts, "After dinner of course since you clearly aren't going to let me mediate in peace."

Bolin's head snapped to the ground and picked up the tipped over bowl of soup, "I brought you dinner. But I can get you some more-" wordlessly Yully grabbed the bowl by the rim and shot it out the window. This girl was full of all sorts of speechless behavior.

She looked back at them menacingly through tendrils of loose hair, "After years of eating that for every meal everyday I'm never going to see it, smell it or eat it ever again."

Bolin looked at Mako out from the corner of his eye and shrugged, "Uh yeah sure okay we can uh…make something else. I mean I would hate it too if I had miso soup three times a day for years."

She paused while putting her hair in a ponytail, "You eat three times a day?"

Bolin gave her an understanding smile, "Sometimes four."

Mako couldn't say no to the joy on her face, "Fine you can have something else, but you're going to have to tell Asami that you chucked a bowl from her grandfathers collection out the window."

They simultaneously gazed out the window.

"Yeeeaaahhhh… lets talk over food," Yully bounded passed them, picked up the pork bun and lead the way to the kitchen, like she already knew where is was. "I'll cook," she munched.


	11. Book 2: Episode 7

**Episode 7: THE ORIGINAL AVATAR PART 2**

Before Oogi touched down on the observation deck, Tenzin and Korra leaped off and ran down the stairs into the belly of the airship. She wanted to go to Yully's room immediately but decided to try out the conference room to see if the gang was there. And they were, just starting a delicious smelling breakfast.

"Korra!" Mako sounded more surprised than happy to see her while Bolin smiled through a mouth stuffed with eggs, "Hey Korra!"

"Where've you been?" Asami dissected her ham steak looking incredibly irritable for it being so early.

"Had an unexpected detour," Korra salivated over the steaming plate of eggs, rice, and ham-steaks, "But Tenzin knows what we're dealing with. Has she been any trouble?" she forked a slab of the ham steak into her mouth and melted at its tenderness and juicy flavors, "Geez who's been holding out on their cooking skills?"

Asami scoffed, her silverware clamored to the table, and glared at the boys who had their food caught in their throats. The food in Korra's own mouth turned to salty mush as she realized who had cooked it. Forcing it down as she leaned over the table toward the boys, "Where is she?"

Asami perked up with a sarcastic glee, "Oh she's up on the observation deck."

Korra gripped the table so hard it groaned beneath her fingers, "Why?"

As the boys look dumbfounded and stumbled over their excuses Asami perked up again, "Oh they let her out right over you left."

Mako defended himself like a child who accidentally let the pet out, "She got out of the restraints herself. There was nothing we could do."

"She ripped a hole in my airship!" Asami shouted.

"She patched it up!"

Korra was barely keeping it together, "Why is she on the observation deck?!"

Once again Asami's cheerfulness had a sour tone, "Oh she's doing her morning yoga."

"Morning what?! Do you realize what-" the observation deck with "Oogi…" Korra looked uneasily as Tenzin before racing back up to the deck with Tenzin on her heels. The boys scrambled after them looking longingly at their soon-to-be cold food while Asami followed resistantly. Calculating how far she could have gotten on Oogi made Korra slam the door open and ascended the stairs in two leaps, but stopped short. Everyone ran into each other as they gaped at the sight before them.

"Who's a big fluffy wuffy sky puppy!" Yully cooed from the top of Oogi belly as the beast dangled his tongue out from his ten foot grin, "Oohoohhh yeah you're a handsome feller aren't ya? Yeah you are! You are so fluffy!"

Korra shook her head and narrowed her eyes from their full aperture, "Hey!"

Yully casually lifted her head, still smiling, "Oh hi you're back!" she hugged Oogi and gave him another big scratch, "I'll be back cutie," before sliding down and nonchalantly walked towards them brushing off long strands of fur, "Was starting to worry about you, have a nice trip?"

Korra couldn't believe this. She was smiling like nothing was wrong, like it was a vacation for her. She certainly dressed the part; skin-tight shorts, barefoot, and long silver hair flowing about in the breeze. No wonder Asami was in a bad mood, "What are you doing out here?"

She ran her fingers threw her hair, pulling out fur, "Well I just finished my yoga when you guys flew in and you were in such a hurry I didn't have time to welcome you back. So I thought I'd say hello to this big ol' fellow, but now that you're here," she turned towards Tenzin and bowed lowly, "It is an honor to welcome and to see you again Master Tenzin."

If she wasn't so elated from Oogi she might have notice Tenzin was tearing up, "You-you remember me?"

"Well one can hardly forget rescuing you and your family from Amon." Her cheerfulness seemed to drain the color from Tenzin's face as he walked in a trance back into the airship. All looked at Yully despairingly which confused her even more, "What'd I say?" One by one they followed Tenzin down the stairs with Korra staring at Yully back.

When Korra had made it to Air Temple Island she grabbed Oogi first then called out to Tenzin from outside the house. He came running out, "Korra, what is it? What's wrong?"

She studied the twitch of his mouth, his dancing eyes, the furrow of his brow when she told him, "I found a silver haired girl who doesn't want me to be the Avatar."

His mouth quivered, his eyes left to remember the last time he saw her, and the worry wrinkles, accumulated over the years because of her, deepen. He called out to Puma and whispered something in her ear to make her cover her mouth in shock. He gathered his children and told each of them how much he loved them and kissed them goodbye. He wouldn't answer any of Korra's questions with anything besides, "I have to see her, it's too much to explain right now, and I'll tell you when I see her."

Now as they sat at the conference table, Tenzin couldn't stop staring at her. The boys weren't hungry anymore so they put the food away and cleared the table.

"Before we start this little powwow here I think some tea would do us nicely, don't you think Korra?" Yully was sly, still wanting tea from Korra's last attempt to talk to her.

"There is no way-" Korra began but Tenzin cut her off.

"I think some tea would be great," Korra had never seen his face so vacantly spent before. "Green tea, right?" He questioned Yully who smiled at him.

"Yes, green tea please," she beamed at Korra.

They didn't see Tenzin nodding approvingly, a mental check, "Would you be able to get the water and start the fire Yully?"

Now it was Korra who was slyly grinning at Yully but when she saw that Yully was smiling deviously, Korra's smile dissipated. Yully's joking manner flipped in an instant to seriousness. She didn't move from her seat but seemed to know what Tenzin was asking, which wasn't tea. Yully looked at the tea kettle and raised her hands. The kettle drifted through the air and gently landed on the burner. With the sink of the other end of the counter Yully would have had to get up to collect the water to pour it in the kettle, but she didn't have to. The faucet turned slightly but the water didn't splash into the sink, instead it hovered in the air filling up space. The ball of water then floated into the kettle in some invisible current. Yully ended the show by shooting a small flame to the burner, effectively starting the tea and removing all thought and air from the room. The choir of questions followed in a babble of confusion and disbelief.

"How did you-"

"No way"

"That's not possible"

"What's going on?"

The vacation was over for everyone. The heavy reveal shifted the gravity in the room. Each of them felt their world changing in that moment.

The only ones who weren't mystified by this display was Yully and Tenzin who were staring intensely at each other, "I think Master Tenzin knows."

He did know and he didn't know, "First I need you to tell me everything about yourself, your family, everything. Then I'll tell you everything I know."

She considered this for a moment, but just for a moment, "Okay that won't take too long-"

"Hold up!" Asami's questions about what just happened was overtaken by her waning patience, "I've been trying to get you to talk for the past two days and nothing! But now you're an open book! Why the change of heart?"

Yully glared from the corner of her eye, "More like a change in company. I respect Tenzin." She rotated her piercing gaze at everyone, "Now I think we can come to an agreement that during this rather important exchange of _my_ personal information that we'll keep questions and comments to a minimum. Okay? Fine? Good. Now I don't know anything about my life when I was young. I don't know my real name, my age, or why I can bend all the elements. I don't know! The first memory I have is roaming about the Earth Kingdom with a nomad who said I had no parents."

Either too afraid or still stunned the gang didn't said a word. Tenzin, however, pressed on, "The nomad, how did you come to be with them?"

Yully's sharpness subsided as she looked down at the table. Recalling the memories she never wanted to remember, least of all telling them to strangers, "Well my teacher, Jaram, he raised me mostly. He told me that he was a nomad and his group were following a fallen star that came down nearby. Instead they found me laying in a field. He said that there was this old superstitious fire-bender woman with them who said…said that I was a lost soul who was rejected from the spirit world. Said it was a bad omen. So she shot lightning at me but…he said that she collapsed and I got up. The others in the group were scared and ran off, except Jaram. He was a very spiritual man. He believed that if he taught me how to mediate and connect to the world and to the spirit world my soul would realize I didn't belong with the living and would be free to pass on. When word got around that a Silver Ghost spirit-

"Oh my god!" Bolin squealed, "You're the Silver Ghost…" then quietly sank back into his chair as everyone looked at him.

"He shaved off my hair, said it was always like this, but said it grew like weeds so he had me start dying it. And I have every since. We traveled all over the earth kingdom and he told me of the most spiritual temples and wonderful places in the world. He said that the last part of my journey was to be taken alone so I left and I never saw him again. I traveled all over the world seeing all these amazing places and people. It was during this time that I realized I could bend the elements. So I would go to different places to learn with a teacher of an element for a time. It didn't occur to me that…Jaram told me that the Avatar was in the Southern Water Tribe so when I learned of my abilities I kept them a secret. Like I was doing…being something I wasn't supposed to. Then I got picked up by this orphanage who sent me to that workhouse and I've been there ever since."

"How long was that?" Tenzin didn't want to know. He had heard stories of workhouses and by judging her far-off stares into the distance…the stories were all true.

Yully shrugged, "Don't know, never kept a calender. At least five strawberry seasons."

"What about the rally and the gangsters and the overseers?" Mako interrogations skills kicked into gear.

She shifted uneasily in her chair, "Well my job at the orphanage…was mostly thievery. I was good at it. The gangsters hired me for jobs. A few were in Republic City so when all that Amon stuff was happening I got together a few benders and stood up to him. The overseers like I said left about a year ago and…I tried to get all the kids out of here before Viddi showed up. I only got about half of them out. He took their papers so I couldn't sneak them out. I've been pulling jobs with them ever since without pay so I couldn't get the others out too. They tell me what to do and I did them or else…"

"And that day we met you?"

"I was given a job, some high rolling stranger were seen in town and I was suppose to liberate her of valuables," she awkwardly glanced at Asami, "Then you guys came and asked about the mask I wore at the rally. So I knew that was the end of it there. I broke into their vault, took my kids papers, and put the ones that were there on the train and when I was walking back to get the rest…well you know." She glanced awkwardly at Bolin.

"But you said that you'd trade Korra for the papers?" Mako asked.

"For my papers…saying that I was my own guardian. Apparently after a few jobs, Viddi adopted me. For insurance, that I wouldn't run on them. Since he burnt those and I'm still registered as his adoptive child he can send out a missing persons report for me and I'd be sent back to him."

"Unless the biological parents are found." Tenzin added, thinking to himself.

Yully bit her cheek, "So do I pass?"

Korra, who had been quietly sitting through this sob story, still didn't have her answers, "You haven't told us how you can bend all the elements."

"I told you I don't know."

"That's-"

"Enough!" Tenzin silenced the room. This was too important, too momentous to have it spoiled. He took deep breaths to gather himself. He had dreamed and hoped for this moment for years, thought of what he would say the entire trip over here and now that he was saying it aloud, the words tripped over his tongue.

He took a breath and looked directly at Yully, "Your name is Yue. You're eighteen years old and you're from the Northern Water Tribe. Your parents are Punav and Losha, your grandparents were Chief Sokka and Suki. And you were…you were the original Avatar after my father."

And the world as Korra knew it was gone, she slumped back in her chair. Lost; everything she knew, everything she thought, everything she was, she was lost.

After a moment when his head stopped spinning from that whirlwind of information, Bolin asked if what he heard was correct, "Her dad's name is 'Poo-on?'"

There was a simultaneous mental face-palm around the room.

Tenzin continued, "Pu-nav. He's my cousin. But you were like a daughter to me. You called me Tenten," he smiled at the memories, "I remember when he told me that you were showing signs of being the next Avatar. He was so proud." He chuckled to himself, "And you were quite the handful at your age, you were three and bending all the elements. You were a natural. Your father wanted to start your training immediately but your mother wanted to wait until you were a little older." He stopped smiling, "During this time Sokka and Punav were on the Republic City council dealing with these power driven benders within the city. There were terrorizing the city and the people were outraged. There were riots and…Sokka had the group, the Red Lotus, banished from the city."

"Red Lotus like the White Lotus?" Mako clarified.

"They were part of the White Lotus but had disbanded from it because they felt that the people needed their protection more. They believed that the people had grown too dependent on the Avatar. When Aang disappeared for those 100 years, they believed the people didn't fight for themselves because they were waiting for the Avatar to save them. They believed the world didn't need an Avatar." He paused, braving the disheartening memories, "It was nearing your sixth birthday and you and your mother were traveling to Republic city to be officially proclaimed the Avatar by the White Lotus and begin your training. Losha hates flying so you were traveled by ship then car. On the way through the Fire Nation…the car was ambushed. Your mother and the guards fought against the Red Lotus but…you were gone." He looked apologetically at Yully, "For days we looked for you, unrelentingly day and night. But when reports of a Southern Water Tribe child…" he glanced at Korra, "it devastated us all. Your father blamed Sokka for banishing the Red Lotus, making them retaliate. It drove them apart. They both retired from the council, Punav went to the Northern Tribe and Sokka to the South."

Yully looked up expectantly, "Are they alive? My parents? Sokka?"

He wrung his hands, "Sokka…passed on a few years ago," then he opened them and smiled, "but your mother and father are alive and well. They're in the Northern Tribe still. We're headed there now."

Korra crossed her arms still sunk in her chair, "So why can she still bend all the elements. She died, she's not the Avatar anymore."

"I don't know," Tenzin admitted, "You told me that you saw her in the spirit world? After Amon-"

"Yeah she harassed me when I tried to connect with Aang but she was a kid."

He raised his eyebrows, "Around five or six?"

Korra dramatically shrugged, "I don't know. Could've been. But Katara told me-"

"Katara? She knew?" Tenzin shook his head in disbelief, "My mother never really forgave Punav for blaming Sokka. It torn our families apart and Sokka never forgave himself. Sukav tried to reunite them but-

Korra sat up now engaging in the conversation. "Sukav? As in Chief Sukav of the Southern Water Tribe?"

"Yes, Sukav is Punav's older brother." Tenzin could hardly believe the coincidence that last two Avatars were in-laws.

"That's why he didn't like me? Ignoring me for sixteen years like I didn't exist?"

Tenzin tried to explain, "It was very difficult for him to see you when all he could see was his niece."

"Oh it was difficult? For him? He was going to let my father die!"

Mako held out his hands to block them from his concentration, "Focus people! Now maybe Yully appeared as a child in the spirit world because that was when her spirit was last connected to it. Have you gone into the spirit world before Yully?"

She thought back through all her mediations. She always disappointed Jaram because she never went into the spirit world, never connecting to it, "No," she whispered.

Korra rolled her eyes, "Then how'd you talk to me down in the South Pole?"

A blurry white memory came floating back, "Were we on a cliff side? In the snow?"

"So you do remember?" she irritably asked.

"I-I thought it was a dream. I was so tired all of a sudden and laid down…"

"Incredible," Tenzin pointed at the girls, connecting the dots, "You tried to connect to your past life, which you did, you connected with Yue who was able to get you to connect to Aang."

Korra didn't care about that, "Can you go into the Avatar State?"

"What's that?"

Korra threw her arms up in the air, "Big being in space? Past lives? Cosmo energy?"

She thought that sounded a bit absurd, but…considering, "No."

"So how is it you can bend all the elements?" Korra would not this go. This wasn't a miracle, this was a curse. Tenzin tried to calm her down but she was just doing her job. She was meant to protect the world, but what about herself? She had to protect herself from this impostor. She stood up when Tenzin tried to defend her, "No! On my way here I had a vision from a spirit saying that only the Avatar can access all the elements. And the only time an Avatar reincarnates is when the old one dies." She pointed a trembling finger at Yully, "But she looks very much alive to me. You said that yourself; you stopped looking for her because she was dead. So how is this possible?"

For that Tenzin did not have an answer. But Bolin had a thought, "The Silver Ghost…"

"Bolin-" Mako groaned, but Bolin continued, "No really, the Silver Ghost is suppose to take the life of someone right? A version of the story I heard says that the soul travels through an energy connection between the ghost and its victim. But Yully you said the old woman was a fire-bender and she electrocuted you, right?"

"Right…"

"Well what if she didn't take life but she was giving you life? Lets say you did die but when she electrocuted you it brought you back to life."

"How's that possible?" working with Future Industries, Asami knew of a lot of electrocution accidents.

Mako offered up his knowledge, "Lightning is pure energy and our bodies run of energy. It'd be like a energy transfer. It's actually an ancient fire-bending technique that no one tries because its really dangerous and fatal if done wrong. It isn't even illegal because no one thinks it's possible. But theoretically, a powerful enough surge of energy to a body can restart it. But no ones ever actually done."

Tenzin looked over at Yully, "It'd be a first among other firsts."

"No way!" Korra was not buying this loaded story, "A lightning strike severely wounds someone, it doesn't bring 'em back to life."

"Do you have a scorch mark?" Asami remembered finding her father unconscious in his lab more than once, "When my father was testing with his electrical equipment he got shocked a few times. He'd have all these burn marks on him. Do you have any?"

Yully looked down at herself before pulling aside her shirt collar to reveal a large coral like scar over the left side of her chest and shoulder. Tendrils of the coral sprouted out from a burst shaped scar over her heart.

"It shot directly to your heart." She pulled her shirt back over after Mako's comment and realizing they were all the staring at her chest.

Tenzin thought aloud tapping the table, "Only the Avatar can bend all the elements because they possess the Avatar Spirit. And the Avatar Spirit changes its reincarnation when the previous one dies. Yue died so the Spirit went on to Korra, but you came back to life. The spirit had left but your bending remained because you already were able to access it."

"So why wasn't the next Avatar an Earth-bender?" Bolin would have been a just and fair Avatar.

Tenzin got up to pour himself a cup of tea, he was so exhausted, "We have a theory on that. Because Yue…passed on before she was able to go into the Avatar State, she wasn't a full fledged Avatar. Because there was no fully achieved Avatar in that cycle it stayed in the water cycle."

A meaningless memory now had a whole new significance to Asami, "I remember something about that. My father said there was a false claim in the Northern Tribe but the Avatar was really in the Southern Tribe."

Setting down a tray of green tea, Tenzin held his cup but didn't drink it, "Because Yue never was never evaluated by the White Lotus, her claim was never official. It was decided to say that Yue's claim was false and that…you died from illness."

"But why lie?" Asami grabbed herself a cup.

Tenzin sipped his tea, "After Aangs' disappearance those 100 years… we didn't want people to question Korra's legitimacy as the Avatar. And after what had happened to Yue… That's why we took so much precaution with you Korra. Making you stay in the South, all those guards. It was all to protect you and it did. The Red Lotus attempted to kidnap you Korra as a child. But we were ready and stopped them from…we couldn't let what happened-we couldn't let it happen again. And I'm sorry that it ever did happened."

Korra thought back to…earlier this week. Her fathers vague explanations on why he kept her in the Southern Tribe to train made sense now. She was almost kidnapped when she was a child? She almost—could have had the same fate as Yully?

Yully wanted something stronger than tea, "Did I fight? When the Red Lotus attacked? Did I fight? Where are they now?"

He took a long moment to compose his answer then took another sip, "Losha said it happened so quickly. That you were asleep and you ran out of the car to help but they had these sleeping darts. They were all hit and when they woke up you were gone. The Red Lotus doesn't exist anymore. We eradicated them, they're all gone. You don't have to worry about them anymore. You are going home," Tenzin let that steep for a moment, "I still can't believe I'm even talking with you. Your parents will…overwhelmed would be an understatement. You've gotten so…" he didn't want to know why she was stunted in growth, "beautiful. You look so much like your mother. Besides the hair of course, that's all Punav."

"He has silver hair too?" Bolin asked.

"Yes, we were surprised that the gene was passed down honestly. Your brother has it too. You have a brother! A little brother. He's names Arata."

"So where'd the silver come from?" Mako asked sipping his tea.

"Well Suki had a difficult labor, almost three days. Sokka prayed to the moon spirit that Suki and the baby would be fine. And they were. Suki gave birth to a healthy silver haired baby boy on the full moon. A gift from the moon spirit. And when Losha gave birth to you, a beautiful baby girl with silver hair, they named you after Princess Yue who became the moon spirit.

Bolin let out a snicker, "Wow that's unreal. She's named after Chief Sokka's old girlfriend? Whoa bet Suki wasn't too happy with that!"

A relieving round of laughter swept around the table. Mako placed a cup of tea in front of Yully, "Well hey at least you won't be the Silver Ghost anymore, you'll be the Silver Avatar!"

Korra's fists slammed so hard into the table Yully's tea spilled over the table, "She is not the Avatar!"

The laughter had ended, the smiles were gone.

"Which brings up another point." Tenzin had hoped he didn't have to say this, but it was clear this was not good news for everyone, "Until we figure out what to do about letting people know about you Yue, you should only bend water around anyone. The concern that people may reconsider Korra as the Avatar is a problem we do not want. So only us at this table and your family of course Yue will know. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded uncomfortably, except Yully who stared at her spilled tea.

"Yue?" he asked concerned. He didn't want her to keep hiding, but so much was still unknown.

Yully still didn't look up when she muttered absently, "May I be excused?"

"Of course."

They all watched her quickly disappear into the hall. After a minute of silence digestion of the information Korra leaned over to Tenzin, "How'd she escaped her kidnappers? And what was it that actually killed her?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head, "I don't know and I'd rather not know or even think about it."

"But you must have some idea-" Korra pressed, but then Tenzin slammed his hand on the table.

"That doesn't matter anymore!" composing himself he continued, "Yue is alive and that's all anyone is going to care about." He sternly ended the discussion.

But Korra stood up and stared him, "Oh I do. No one cares more than I do," and stormed out of the room.

"What are you doing?" Mako stepped into the radio control room and onto an entanglement of wires all over the floor. Korra pressed the radio speaker to her ear, scribbling down some notes on a paper. Above her was a little brightly lit red bulb indicating connection to the Republic City Police Station emergency channel.

"Korra?" he stepped closer but she adjusted the speaker to her other ear, ignoring him, "Are you sure that's right?…Okay thanks." She yanked the wire out of its socket and ripped the paper off the pad.

"Why'd you call them for?"

"Why'd you let Yully-Yue who ever she is, out of her room?" She didn't even look at him as she made a beeline for the door but he blocked her.

"You think it'd would've been even possible to do that? She-she can bend of the elem-"

Korra shouldered him out of the way, "Yes I'm very aware of that. Which makes her more dangerous than I thought."

He followed her down the narrow hall trying to keep up with her, "She just found out who she is! After everything she's scared and confused!

"That's when people are at their most dangerous."

She began to enter the messaging hawks room before he planted his hand on the door, "What makes you so sure?"

Korra looked him dead in the eye, "On my way to get Tenzin I was attacked by a spirit and I had a vision," Mako's hesitant pause allowed her to yank the door open, "In my vision, the spirit told me that the first bender of all the elements had a choice." She began to prep the fastest hawk, "A choice between two Avatar spirits; a light one and a dark one. The bender chose the good spirit and locked away the dark spirit in The Tree of Time. That tree in the spirit world through the portals. If she releases it and bonds with it, she'll be a dark Avatar set to destroy the world."

This was way too much to take in he could only focus on one thing at a time, "Why would she want to destroy the world?"

"To get even, after everything she lost, to hurt the people that hurt her!"

"But she doesn't know anything about that stuff. I don't know about that stuff, I'd never even heard of it before."

"Nobody has heard of it. Not even Tenzin," Korra dressed the hawk's legs with a messengers tube with the paper inside, "He wants me to check out the Spirit Library to see it that has any record on it."

"Where's a Spirit Library?"

"In the Spirit World?" Korra tightened the last strap and nudge the hawk onto her arm.

"But Unalaq can control spirits, what if he attacks while you're in there. Why don't you just her trust her."

Korra opened the window hatch and threw the hawk into the air, "Why are you defending her? Did you two become best friends while I was away? She is a liability and my enemy. I will not let her take away my power just like Amon took away my bending. I'll lock her away before I'd let that happen." Letting the hatch slam shut, she strode into the hall.

"Tenzin was wrong." Mako called after her, "Her existence didn't weaken the people's faith in you, it weakened your faith in yourself!"

The metal walls were closing in on him, he couldn't breath. The dull yellow corridors in the ship was sickening, he made his way up topside to the dark welcoming open sky. If Yully wasn't her enemy before, Korra's her blatant rudeness will make her an enemy soon enough. Why did she even send out a messenger hawk? What did she found out from the police station? And where in the world did that snark about him defending Yully and friends come from? Did she think-is she…jealous? His mind stopped racing for his heart to catch up. On top of everything! Was she still mad at him for their breakup? Like they didn't have enough problems.

"Hello Mako"

He yelped, jumping back from the floating figure that materialized out from the corner of his eye. It took him a second to realize the floating figure was Yully effortlessly sitting on the railing staring out toward the rising moon, "Whoa geez," trying to compose himself, "you scared me."

"Sorry…I do that to people," she quietly looked over her shoulder at him.

"No I didn't mean that I…" _Oh man what should I say? Should I leave?_ He cleared him throat, "How'd you know it was me?" He was going to at least try small talk. It'd be a really awkward trip to the North Pole else wise. And a little bit of him wanted to prove Korra wrong about her being dangerous.

Yully looked out toward the dark ocean searchingly, "Your footsteps are usually quick but solid. Its a confident stride but now they're heavy and hesitant…confused," she gracefully swung herself about so she was facing him without a concern towards gravity, "So what's up?" she tiredly smiled.

His puzzled face slowly turned into a smile, "You know that's a pretty creepy party trick." Either, both. Her gravity defying grace and analysis of footsteps. He minded his steps as he made his way to the railing. A reasonably cautionary distance from her.

She shrugged carelessly, "Then I won't show you the other tricks I got up my sleeve."

 _A joke? A warning?_ , "Just needed some air."

Sliding her legs out she flexed her bare feet on the floor, "Yeah I bet all that…information has everyones heads spinning," she casually leaned against the railing, "Does Korra even have hers on or is it flying about somewhere?"

 _Crap, did she see the hawk?_ "She'll be fine…she just needs time to process it all." This was the most intense small talk he'd ever had.

She considered that as she pushed herself off the railing into a routine of stretches, "And how is she exactly when she processes information say…that there was another Avatar before her?"

"I don't know," he admitted but a thought came to mind, "But she acted alright when I started dating her after Asami.

Yully stopped mid-stretch, fingers interlaced behind her, "Really?"

"Yeah, well she didn't like it while I was dating Asami but when we got together-"

"You dated both of them?"

He laughed to himself, rubbing his neck, "Yeah kinda complicated I know."

"So you and Korra…?"

Mako crossed his arms leaning against the railing facing Yully. Was she prying for information? "No no, we broke up…recently".

She sat down with one leg extended reaching comfortably for her foot, "How recently?"

 _This is embarrassing_ , "A few days before we came to your village…"

"Wow…this is not her week…" she switched legs, "Kinda tough since you're all friends huh?"

"Oh yeah," he nervously chuckled.

Extending both legs she leaned forward, "So what are you going do?"

Mako grimaced and uncomfortably looked into the sky, "I don't know. Asami…she told me she still had feelings for me and I don't think Korra's over me and…I mean I like both of them but I don't want to hurt them. More than I already have or am. But things…" he catch himself drifting and glanced at Yully. She was completely engrossed by his vulnerability, "Oh man I'm sorry. I'm complaining about stupid relationship drama when you…" he began to pace.

She straightened her torso and crossed her feet under her, like an eager child listening to a bedtime story, "No really I can use some stupid drama." At his longing glance toward the door she added, "I'll barely be listening to you anyway," she stood up and began to stretch again, "I need to finish my routine."

Mako stayed quiet for awhile but so did she. She was waiting while immersed in her yoga. Even her eyes were closed. He looked around aimlessly thinking aloud, "I guess I just don't want them to hate me for dating one of them or neither of them."

Yully lunged each of her legs, "Do you want to get back together with one of them?"

He scoffed, picking at his nails, "I really don't know."

"Well then don't do anything until you do know."

"And in the meantime what do I do? They're both mad at me…"

Twisting her body while in a lung, Yully reached up toward the sky, "They'd be mad either way by you dating either of them, but if you don't date either of them, you'll be hurting them the less."

Mako followed her arm upward, "So don't date either of them? Ever again?"

"Well not until you've made up your mind."

She kept twisting her arm over her body; Mako tilted his head in confusion, "But I'm not dating either of them now and its all weird and tense and awkward between us."

"That'll change" she grabbed her other hand from behind her back and under her leg.

"How?"

"They've found a new common enemy," she gazed up at the sky, "they'll bond over their contempt for me and eventually work out their feelings about you."

"No how are you doing that?" his head bend horizontally, fascinated and confused at her contortion.

She smiled and unwrapped herself, standing to face him, "You really want my advice?"

Straightening his head he looked at her dark blue eyes, the almost matched the color of the dark sky with a little light glinting in them. He glanced away to look at the sky, "Sure".

She moved toward the railing resting her forearms on it and clasping her hands, "Whenever I have to make a tough decision I choose the path where the least amount of pain happens to the least amount of people. So if you date one of them, you'll hurt them both for a longer amount of time than you would not dating either of them. They'll get over you and move on. And if you keep avoiding the situation, you'll just be hurting yourself. You have to think from an outsiders perspective. Who will it hurt and how many will it hurt? No matter who it is. It could be your best friend or yourself that gets the worst of it but sometimes you do things you don't want to do."

Mako had joined her at the railing, closer this time, "Like what you did with those kids in the Discipline Pits?"

She looked deeper into the distance, "Better me than them."

Mako couldn't tell one abyss from the other, "But if you take all the punishments for them, what do they learn?"

She looked down at her hands and saw what they had done for those kids, "That things can always be worse. They learn to be grateful for their dull and consistent and boring little lives with their families."

"So what do you learn?" he reflected on his own far more boring yet still interesting past.

"To be happy for them," she didn't even try to hide the gloom or sorrow.

"But you're not…" he quietly realized. She had looked so happy for them when they waved from the train. Was she secretly hating them?

"Which makes them the better person."

"But you-"

She pushed off the railing again but not for yoga, "What is your problem?!", he had looked too deep into the abyss, "You don't have enough stupid drama in your life so you need to know mine? Because you don't want to know and I don't want your sympathy! I just…," she catch herself on whatever she didn't want to say, "I need to be alone right now okay?" She turned and leaned sideways on the railing.

Even looking at her back, he felt her staring at him, "Yeah, okay. I understand. Getting all those memories back can be a lot to handle."

He was about to step towards the door but he saw her head shake and mummer, "If only…" and his curiosity got the better of him.

"What?"

Yully looked back towards the ocean, "Those were stories not memories."

He pressed his lips knowing he should go inside and leave her alone, but he couldn't, "But they will be. You know my brother and I are orphans too," he fiddled with his scarf, "I can hardly remember their faces. But this was my dads and when I wear it, it feels like he's still with me. Like a have a piece of him to always remind me of him." He looked up to see she looking back at him, "When you see your parents I bet you'll feel it too." He smiled warmly at the memory, the feeling of not being alone.

She smiled back at him, "Thanks Mako that was real sweet," her smile didn't feel warm, "but you know whats worse than not remembering them?" she stepped toward him, "Being fed false hope covered in sappy sugar dust that all my memories will just pop right back into my head when I see them!"

Despite her only coming up to his chest, her repulsive anger intimated him, "False ho-"

She took another step closer and grabbed his scarf, "And no matter how tight you wrap this scarf its not going to bring your parents back." She flicked the scarf over his face as he stepped backwards, "And even if I do remember my parents I won't get back the years I never had with them! So why don't you stick to your problem about too many people caring about you and let me handle my problems of the people I care about leaving me! Thanks for the pick me up." And with that she turned back to the railing, holding it at arms length.

He had messed up. Here he thought by opening up to her, she could feel not as alone. But how could he compare with her. He had no idea and it was an insult to her for him trying to relate. They both knew the color blue but how could he compare his stormy haze rain to her oppressing midnight nightmare. He was an idiot. He closed his gaping mouth and shamefully walked to the stairs.

The instant he grabbed the stair rails to keep him from falling Yully called out angrily desperate, "Mako!" then silence for a minute. He waited staring off at a dark blue star. Finally a tired sigh, "There's no light matters on a heavy heart. You should try to unburden yours."

He was too scared to turn back around so he said it to the star in the distance, "I should really be the one thanking you. I never did get around to it with what you did your Bolin back at the mansion."

The star twinkled lightly, "Getting him kidnapped? Sure anytime."

He was sure it was her before, but now he knew, "And for Korra and I at the Amon rally," He stole a glance back at her, her head resting on her hands on the railing, "You shouldn't use the same trick twice if you don't want someone to know your secret."

"And what's my secret?"

He knew she had many, but this one she may not have realized, "That although you may not be the Avatar, you can't help but help people."

She didn't move, just stood there bent over the railing. Moonlight shining over her, "Mmmm…I thought you were talking about how I've been playing with Naga these last couple days."

He smiled, knowing that she was, "No worries…your secrets are safe with me." He slide his hand down the railing as he descended back into the airship.


	12. Book 2: Episode 8

**Episode 8: Bad Impressions**

The lofty cargo bay made their excited chatting down below loud and annoying. Of course she didn't have to sit on the catwalk directly above them but she could pout in her room just the same. Yully had this unruly attracting pull that captured the attention of all the males on the ship. Tenzin wanted to see how advanced she was with her air-bending and the ex-Fire Ferrets were more than happy to try out their skills on a new sparring partner. At least that's what she hoped got them so anxious to spar with her. She didn't want to think of any other reasons. She hadn't spoken to Mako since their encounter yesterday, she had hoped it was more of a break but it's been just a week and he was certain this was for the best.

"Hey" Asami's steps echoed as she approached from the side hallway onto the catwalk.

"Hey" Korra half heartedly returned. As least she wasn't being unreasonably upset. Asami was just as sour as she leaned over the railing before rolling her eyes and sitting down across from Korra, "Not joining the fun down there?"

She glanced down through the graded metal as Yully made an air-bomb behind Mako to make him stumble, "It's like they've never seen air-bending before." She looked away as Tenzin clapped Yue on the shoulder smiling affectionately at her.

"He's just happy that there's another air-bending student he can teach." Asami shook her head. _Attention seeking brat_.

"I doubt that would take long. She probably can teach him what she's good at; lying, stealing, breaking people apart forever." She twisted a scroll between her fingers. The police station's hawk transfered the message and Korra had gotten the report she asked for that morning.

Asami nodded empathetically, "Mako talked to you too?" trying not to recall her pathetic confession only to be humiliated the next day with his insistence that they shouldn't get back together.

Korra shook her head, "He spoke but it was her words. It's not like I wanted to get back together right now but…"

"Hoping there was a chance you could…" They shared a moment of mutual understanding that he was over them. Until a strong breeze caught their attention and they both looked down.

Tenzin had been asking at breakfast of her training and they had decided to try them out in the cargo bay. She was able to bend what earth, wind and fire she could in the confining space and was able to give Tenzin an idea of her skills. She had just displayed an air anti-bomb for him, a small whirling ball with no air inside of it so when she released it, air would rush back into the empty space.

"Amazing Yully, who taught you that?" His words of encouragement and praise made her more confident in herself. She had never impressed someone she respected so highly before.

"Well I saw a sand-bender make a tornado once and I tried to mimic his movements but this is what I got out of it the first few times. I can make a tornado too though." She added assuringly towards Tenzin.

"Where'd you see a sand-bender?" Bolin had never even seen a tornado before.

"In the Si Wong Desert."

"What were you doing there?"

"To see a sand-bender make a tornado."

Mako shook his head from the side line. She may have seen the world but her conversation skills needed some work.

Tenzin nodded approvingly, "You have quite the number of attacks. You'd be excellent in a fight."

Making Yully smile modestly, "I don't know about that. I've never used these tricks in a fight. I just practiced and trained with them."

"Well you do have natural skill. You always have." His smile brought more pride to Yully than she could have ever gotten from Jarem or even Viddi. All she needed was his approval of…her.

Bolin jumped into a fighting position, "That's nothing when it comes to a fight," he encircled her, "Comon then! Let's see what ya got!"

She put a hand on her hip, "Sure but what are you going to bend with?" Bolin had been more of a spectator during her evaluation of earth-bending. She demonstrated her metal-bending skills as there was a shortage of earth on the airship.

His eyes glanced from side to side then lowered his arms, "Oooohh right…"

She took her fighting stance facing the other brother nursing a sore ego from their previous sparring match, "Mako!"

He barely got out the, "Yeah?" he was starting to say when a small air anti-bomb went off beside him making him stumble forward.

"You wanna fight?" she challenged with a smile.

Tenzin let out a soft laugh, clapping a hand on her shoulder, "I doubt you'll have much of a fight in here. It's too enclosed."

She didn't want this to end, "Alright well… how about skill against skill?"

"What's that?" Mako was intrigued.

"Well fire needs air right? Well I've been able to put out fires with my air-bombs because of the no air or wind or whatever, but what happens if I make an air-bomb around a perpetual fire?"

He raised an eyebrow, "You want to make an air-bomb around me?"

"Just a small one, around your hands."

"Ooohh that's interesting!" Bolin held out his hands to demonstrate with invisible fire, "So if Mako can hold a fire within your air-bomb, he's stronger. But if you put out his fire, you're stronger."

"Precisely, but only if you want to."

She smiled and nodded along side Bolin as he taunted, "Or are you scared you'll be out skilled by a ninety pound girl?"

He was determined for his redemption, "Alright let's go"

The others gave them room for a proper standoff. Mako started with a decent sized flame in one hand then Yully swept her arms around her, stretching them out towards Mako. A small sphere the size of an apple appeared right in Mako's hand, the flame flickering in the wind. The struggle of control began where each was focusing on their offense. While Mako gritted his teeth and brought his other hand to strengthen the flame, Yully closed her eyes, widened her fingers, and adjusted her shoulders. Although the sphere hadn't changed size, its intensity increased. What started off as a light breeze became a giant fan within the cargo hold emitting from the air-bomb. There was a mere spark in Mako's hands as a great wind blew at their hair and clothes. Bolin had to steady himself from being pushed backwards as the girls on the catwalk gripped the railings. Then the spark was snuffed out. Bolin started to laugh at the intensity of the storm, just like the energy of a real storm makes you awe at it. But like a storm, you are frightened by it as well. He saw Mako's face. He wasn't concentrating on the flame, he was concentrating on trying to breath. His frightened pale face gasping at the unbreathable swift wind around the bomb.

"Yully!" Bolin shouted into the wind, "Yully, stop!" But she was statue-still, eyes closed, with only her braid whipping about her neck.

Tenzin had noticed this too and tried to slow or collapse the bomb, anything, but nothing changing. Yully's force was overpowering. Mako looked like a puppet being held up by strings.

"YULLY!" Bolin powered through the wind pulling Yully to the ground. The bomb created a vortex that sucked them towards it with great force. Then the wind died and a sickening thud hit the floor followed by a desperate wheezing gasp for air. Racing over to him, Bolin pried him out of his doubled over coughing fit, opening his lungs. The girls who didn't know what exactly was happening realized it at the same time. Korra jumped over the railing as Asami ran down the spiral stairway.

Tenzin sat behind Mako guiding his breathing with his hand on his chest, waving Bolin away with the others, "He's alright, give him some room."

Korra ran past Yully, skidding on her knees to Mako's side. The movement made Yully shake her head from the ground, not wanting to comprehend what she had done. She staggered onto her feet, "I-I'm so sorry I didn't mean-" she hadn't taken a step forward before Korra pushed a gust of wind at her. Yully stumbled backwards but pressed forward trying to explain. Explain away those horrified expressions. Asami walked ahead of her not giving her an iota of her time to listen to Yully's worn excuses.

"I didn't mean-I'm sorry I-" she tried to steady herself, she didn't mean to grab onto Asami's arm. But the moment she did Asami swung around, her arm coming around in a great arc slapping the side of Yully's face. The hit sent Yully sprawling back across the floor, her cheek already a sharp pink. Asami pulled her arm back, hand curling into a fist, "You don't mean anything do you!" even Korra was shocked at her outburst. Asami usually had an even temper but after a week, she'd had all she could take, "You've done nothing but make things worse for everyone! You are a curse. Death didn't even want you, why should anyone else!?" She stood over the cowering Yully, her stare cementing Yully still. It was only after Asami turned to join the others that Yully struggled to her feet and fled out of the cargo bay. Only Tenzin watched her escape, he gently pushed Mako over to Bolin and ran after her but she had disappeared within the halls.

 **LATER THAT NIGHT**

It was nearing midnight when he called off the search for Yully. She wasn't going to be found if she didn't want to be. His attempt to scold Korra and Asami on their behavior ended before he got one word out. Korra told him of what she had found out from the police station, he saw the ceased report and once he knew that he couldn't lecture them. Korra informed the rest of them, for their protection. But when Mako and Bolin still insisted to search for her Korra and Asami boarded up in their rooms for the rest of the night. Tenzin didn't want to believe it, he had been sitting at the conference table trying to rationalize the situation for hours without success. How could he explain this to Punav and Losha? Would it be cruel to tell Yully? He envied her ignorance of her past. She shouldn't have to know.

He was dragged out of his wallowing thoughts as Bolin and Mako fell into some chairs, "We can't find her anywhere." Bolin groaned as his head hit the table.

Tenzin rubbed his red eyes, "She has to be on the ship," he'll figure out what to tell her parents later, but he had to find her fist, "We're arriving at the North Pole tomorrow and there's no land in miles."

"This is all my fault," Mako grasped his head with both hands, "They were mad at me and they took it out on Yully. And she didn't mean to-she'd never do that. Why do they hate her so much?"

Bolin grumbled from the tabletop, "At least they don't hate each other anymore. Hey here's an idea; date Yully, break up with Yully, then all three of them will be best friends!"

Mako kicked Bolin under the table, jolting him upright and Pabu from sleeping on the table.

"Come on now be serious," Tenzin hoped his girls won't fight like this as they got older, "Girls are very sensitive and complicated especially at this time in their lives." But thinking about it, Jinora and Ikki were handfuls themselves and Pema did get mad over the littlest things.

Bolin tried to calm the cranky ferret, "Okay let's just agree; girls are crazy… are you a girl Pabu?" the ferret looked irritably at Bolin who decided to give the ferret some space.

"Where do your girls run off to after they have a fight Tenzin?" Mako thought this was over-dramatic to the extreme, but two of the three girls having this hissy fit were the most powerful benders in the world so he figured it'd get dramatic.

"Well they barricade themselves in their room-" Tenzin thought back to those simpler times.

"Korra and Asami, check and check." Bolin ticked off his fingers on Pabu's head.

"Or go to their friends house."

Mako gave up, his head buried in his arms on the table, "Well Yully's not in her room and she has no friends…on board."

Bolin lightly drummed his fingers on Pabu, who was nipping at his fingers. "Oh!" he yelped as Pabu got his finger, then Bolin lite up with a thought, "OH!" he shook off Pabu and ran out of the room without another word.

In the stables, there was a single yellow light near the door reaching out to the first stall. Hay was heaped into each stall for Naga and Oogi. Oogi was fast asleep in the first stall which was really was just the open loft converted into his stall. The stall that had Naga in it was dark but there was rustling from Naga's tail swishing the hay back and forth. He crept over and slid down the wall separating the two stalls. He sat for a moment in the lights warm glow in the otherwise metallic cold air.

"I remember this one time when we were kids. Right after our parents died. We were fighting over something really stupid…probably, but uh we started bending at each other. I was only able to throw some dirt and rocks around but Mako… bending came natural to him…even lightning. But ta…that was the first time he actually did it. Shot me square in the chest," he pointed with a hay straw at his chest, "I was out for like five, ten seconds max but when I came to…he was…he thought… That was the first and last time we ever used bending against each other. But I still burnt myself on the stove all the time so I uh I made up this burn ointment. It helps lighten the scar and stops that tingling it sometimes gets," he leaned his head back against the wall, "I can make some for you if you want."

Yully slowly stroked Naga's head in her lap, "You don't have to." She whispered. Her voice was hoarse, crying with no water or food all day. Not like she was hungry.

"But I want to." He picked apart some hay into little pieces.

She shuttered, trying to hold it all back. She braced herself against the cold wall, "I'm so sorry. I didn-" but Asami's words echoed in her head louder and harsher each time she thought of it.

Bolin dared to look back at the wall, "Neither did he-back then. I know that, he knows that…" he gulped down his bad feeling instincts, "…and the girls know that. They're just a little overprotective of-"

"They hate me."

Bolin couldn't tell if she growled or if that was Naga. But he ignored his instincts again, "No-".

Yully's harsh tone only got colder, "They hate me and I don't care because I hate them and it all doesn't matter because tomorrow I'll be off this ship and you'll go on with your lives and forget I exist just like you want me to."

He couldn't leave her like this, "Yully-"

She buried her head into Naga's neck, "Please leave," she couldn't believe she was crying. She hadn't cried in years, not since her first night at the workhouse. She learned that it only makes you feel worse. She waited until he left to breathe in the cold air, "It's not worth it." She had convinced herself over the years that if you cry, it shows that you care. So when people wanted to hurt you they can find your weakness from your tears. And she had long ago stopped crying for herself because it just wasn't worth it.

 **ARRIVAL AT NORTHERN WATER TRIBE**

Their snow prints marked the end of the journey; deep heavy steps as one dragged themselves along. She was remembering these last moments, every detail, as those moments were the mark of a beginning or an end. Depending on which side you see it as. Yully stood away from that last step, away from the door. Which side was this side and which was the other of that door? Her steps slowed but her heart began to quicken. Her mind was so far away though she was this close to what she'd dreamed about all her life.

"-enzin…I-I ca-" she mumbled through Asami's scarf. Korra's pants and jacket hung off of her while Asami's scarf was a sultry purple. She felt like a clown but hugged herself tighter, from the cold or other reasons. She couldn't concentrate on either.

He walked back over to her, placing a hand softly on her shoulder, "It'll be alright. I'm nervous too, but mostly excited." His sympathetic smile made her look down at Korra's floppy boot and stepped back from his reach.

"What are you going to tell them?" Yully wiggled her feet deeper into the boots.

He sighed, "I'm…not exactly sure…yet," he guided Yully toward the door, "But…I'll talk to them first. And I'll…bring them out…when they've had a minute." He pushed her into the shadow of a pillar and tried to give a reassuring nod, then rapped on the door.

A few seconds later it swooshed open, Yully held her breath. A pleasantly warm voice from behind the pillar, "Tenzin! What are you doing at the top of the world?" then what sounded like an embrace. A lovely quiet voice joined the friendly reunion, "What a surprise!"

Then a scurry of steps followed by an excited warrior yell, "Tenten!" Which immediately changed the way of the wind. The reason why Tenzin rarely visited was because somehow that nickname stuck with him from Yue to Arata and they couldn't stand it.

The family had seen their years. If Punav's hair wasn't already silver it would have been from the stress. Right after his daughters death, he had cut off his long mane of silver hair and had kept it uncommonly short since. Losha as well had streaks of gray despite having a young carefree son.

Tenzin set the child down, and in a overly monotoned voice, "Lets go inside," but his emotions got the better of him as his voice croaked out, "I have…something to tell you."

The group filed into the house with the doors sealing out the cold, Yully, everything that family had come to know and live by. She timidly looked around the pillar, they were really gone so she pressed her ear up to the door. Nothing; had they gone into the other room? Were there other rooms? There had to be. She slowly, ever so slowly pushed the door open enough for her to see a small cozy room leading to a hallway, but no one in sight. A wave of warm air wafted at her, pulling her into the room that had a fireplace in the center and furs all over the ground. A greeting area, she suspected. She slid along the smooth circling wall toward the hall, they were in another room two doors down, feverishly discussing. She prowled around the furs and fire, touching every surface. She hunched down next to the fire and glided her hand through the yellow flames. Was this the last time she'd be able to touch fire? Not bending the other three elements, as Tenzin thoroughly explained to her, would be her cover until they had spoken to the White Lotus elders. Hiding there, hiding here, apparently it didn't matter where or who she was with. Sitting back, she absentmindedly ran her hands over the furs until her fingers touched a bare patch of cold smooth ice. Looking at it she saw how dark the ice was, intriguingly so, she pulled back the layer of fur to reveal a deep sapphire floor. It was so mesmerizing, the fire and the dark ice looked like the sun in the dark sky. She caressed the smooth floor finding an ideal fracture point. She cracked the ice surface so it looked like a star.

With Arata in his room, Tenzin had finished explaining to them the situation. Losha could barely breath as Punav couldn't stop asking questions. Tenzin had given them the basic information, she was found, she was alive, but she doesn't remember. He emphasized on the latter. Punav listed off numerous questions before he asked the one Tenzin was waiting for, "Where is she?"

He slowly clasped his hands together and said gently, "She's just outside."

Realizing their lives were about to change again, the overwhelmed parents inched their way into the hall and came out into the greeting hall. Yue was sitting in her favorite spot by the fire.

"Where's my little starshine?" Punav looked dramatically around the room before catching her smile.

"Puba!" she scrambled to her feet as he dropped his hunting gear on the floor embracing her in the grand leap she took into his arms giggling, "You catch a big one Puba?"

"Oh you know it!" he swung her upside down so her knees hooked around his arm, patting her belly, "You'll last us all winter." He had just come back from a moose-caribou trip for some game to take with him to Republic City, give those city boys a taste of the wild life. But his family was wild enough for him. With Yue starting her training soon, Losha planning the trip, and Yue's birthday the house was chaotic.

Yue squirmed out of his tickle attack and gracefully flipped right side up, "I made a new star!" she pulled him over to the fire in the center of the room. The sky map she started when she was two had expanded into a network of constellations that covered the naked floor and was creeping up the sides of the walls. Hundreds of ice star burst cracks, each completely unique and majestic as a whole. The room had become her gallery.

Punav had left for Republic City the next day in an airship with Losha and Yue following by boat then by car. They were to all meet up in three days to celebrate Yue's sixth birthday and her initiation to her Avatar training. Punav and Losha were gone for six weeks before coming home defeated in their effortless search. They had to journey to the South Pole to witness for themselves what the reports claimed. It still took them a week to surrender their hopes. Upon reaching their house, neither had the strength to enter through the now memorial gallery. Losha gave up trying to walk across it and entered through the wall directly to their bedroom, collapsing into wails that made the wind shudder. With burning eyes Punav gripped the entire gallery and pushed it down into the ground. Creating a thick pristine floor over it, he had buried what remained of their lost daughter.

But sitting there on that floor surrounded by a small patch of ice stars sat…

"Yue?" his trembling voice was a mere extension of how completely unnerved he was at that familiar hand-brushed silver hair. And when she looked up, those eyes, those dark deep blue eyes. Losha froze at the doorway but Punav tested the ice between them; could it break under all this weight? Would they wake up in their bed, running to the childs' room, shaking the silver haired child awake, only to frighten Arata. Then staggering back to bed, having to accept it was a dream and this was real; as they had so many times before. But this was real, the moments dragged on and it was so much more painful. Yully's hesitate steps backwards from their outstretched arms, frantically searching their faces, their clothes, the room for any recollection. Any trigger for a memory.

"No…" her voice crystal clear in the unblemished gallery, "I…I don't…remember."

Their smiles faded. This was another dream for Losha as she melted away down the hall to her bedroom as Arata peeked around the corner from his own room.

Tenzin wished he didn't have to prepare for this, "There was a chance this could happen. Losha? We all knew that. We…we can visit the healers and see what they can do."

Punav couldn't stop staring as the fidgeting image of his daughter. She was much shorter than what she should have been and the clothes hung like drapes…but what had changed the most were her eyes. Before they smiled and were always wondrous; she was so curious. But now…he could tell those eyes had seen too much; they were tired, drooping towards the ground. He hated the things that those eyes had seen.

Not letting her leave his sight, he spoke to Tenzin from the side of his mouth, "Healers? What do we need healers for?"

Yully looked up through her lashes at Tenzin, and at his heavy single nod she grudgingly pulled off the scarf. Arata stood unseen in the hallway, peering at whatever was happening that frightening his father and saddened his mother so much. Whatever she was, he didn't like her.

 **LATER**

Asami couldn't believe her luck! Varrick's client she talked to about a shipment order had doubled in their conversation. She'd have to send the order out immediately to Varrick at the warehouses in Republic City.

"Asami!" she paused her mental check list to see Bolin skidding to a halt, "Are you busy?"

"No just finished up my meeting." She smiled thinking of the increase of stock she'd had to put in for next inventory shipment.

"Good, uh do you-," she sensed he had rehearsed this, "do mind bringing this to Yully? She's at the Healing Hut and they won't let me in. Being a dude and what not." He held out a small jar then pointed to an older building across the river.

"What is it?"

"Burn ointment. I made it for her but they said…but you're a girl. You think you can just drop it off to her?" His awkward smile and hopeful eyes along with her good mood made her take the jar.

"Sure," she was helping Bolin, not Yully technically.

The Healing Hut had numerous rooms off the hall she was in. The lady at the entrance waved her into the hut but would not take the jar from her as it 'wasn't her job'. Asami had never been in a Healing Hut before but she followed the commotion coming from the room at the end of the hall. It was the largest room there were half a dozen women surrounding a narrow pool of water.

"Uh excuse me?" She ventured into the room.

The women turned on her, trying to shoo her out of the room, "Out out out no visitors!"

"I just brought-Its burn ointment for-"

"That's alright," a familiar voice came from beyond the wall of woman. They parted as so Yully could fully see Asami. And Asami fully saw Yully. She was halfway submerged in the water laying on her stomach, her head resting on her hands, with her back exposed. Her dark blue eyes looked almost black against the opaque ice and water but that's not what shocked her. Asami stood slack jawed at the her back; it looked as if a hot gear had been rolled across her back again and again, the white scars stuck out more than her spine did. Her trance was broken by a woman taking the jar from her limp hands before it fell.

"She can stay if she wants," Yully rolled onto her back, revealing the large corral-like scar sprouting from her left chest, above her heart, spreading out over her shoulder falling down her arm and creeping up the base of her neck. Asami had only seen a glimpse of it before, but never imagined it'd be that extensive. She fled out of the room.

"I thought not," Yully closed her eyes allowing the healers to focus on her scar. The main healer layered the ointment onto her scar and then began the healing process. The water glowed aquamarine encasing Yully in an aura. The healers brought a flask of their most potent spirit water and applied it over the scar. Nothing happened at first but when the healer really began to meditate the burst above her heart and all of the tendrils began to burn.

Asami hadn't even gone 10 steps past the door when the ground began to rumble.

Losha stood before the Water Tribe Council waiting for their response. They were all silently staring at a woman who's past reputation was unquestionably respected but since her first born died…she was known to get overly emotional to the point of hysteria.

Councilwoman Shae was the first to respond, "That is quite the incredible story."

Losha looked to Korra who was forced to stay, after her unsuccessful meeting with the council, at the request to verify Losha's claim. Korra sat looking bored and uninterested, prompting Losha to start tearing up. She was tired of being the village crazy person, "I swear it's true!"

"So where is she?" Desna, who was sitting in for his father, asked skeptically.

"Can she still bend the elements? Go into the spirit world?" Council Connick had been unrelenting in his questions of how powerful Yue was instead of her well being. He was temporarily standing in as Chief until Desna could be initialized.

Losha's voice began to shake, "We haven't even-" then the ground began to shake.

Punav was riding his sledge back to the city when the dogs began to whimper and trip over themselves. He was about the stop the team when he saw the snow cloud rising up from within the city. He had a sinking feeling that made him yell at the dogs to run.

The Healing Hut was falling apart. Cracks ran from the spirit pond out and up onto the ceiling. The roof was raining down snow dust, chucks, and ice spikes down on the healers. A few of the healers abandoned Yully to hold the roof above them to keep it above them. Yully dug her fingers into the surrounding ice, her head flung back in pain, and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Don't stop," the main healer strained through clenched teeth, "I feel the block, I almost-"

Every vein unwound and was being pulled through her body, up and out her chest, deflating what remained of her. It was that last vein being yanked out of her arching chest that snapped her eyes open.

Blinking away her blurry vision, she mother shook her awake, "Stay in the car and don't come out from any reason!" then she was gone. _What?_ A guard shouted something about a red flower and the splashes and quakes commenced along with explosions on the other side of the car. She opened the door a tiny crack and watched glimpses of the attack. Her mother came into the narrow frame, Yue opened the door wider. She was battling against a water monster! She had to help her mom so she stumbled out of the car and ran towards her. _I_ _'ll make that monster evaporate into thin air_. But through the air flew a dart, puncturing her belly. Her legs became so heavy they dragged her to the ground where a stout man and a lady with long black hair rushed over to her.

Blinking away her blurry vision, she didn't recognize where she was and she felt so tired. The ground was metallic, the walls were metallic, the sky was metallic. But mother would never take her on an airship…

"Idiot!" Yue eyed the two figures by a large window, "do you want them to follow us directly to our hideout!"

The one sitting down got his head smacked then grouched, "Zaheer said nothing 'bout-"

"Because he didn't think he'd have to explain that, it's so obvious. Did he also have to tell you how to open the door and pick your nose?"

The two yammered back and forth not seeing Yue walking up behind them.

"I'm just saying why couldn't Pi'Lee or Water-Arms or Stone-Face handle this. It was there idea."

"Because moron they're meeting us at the pick up spot up north. But we don't want our cover blown so head further east!"

"Excuse me," Yue rubbed her eyes trying to remember what happen, "where's my mom?"

The two spun around, "Crap, the darts!" the pilot loudly whispered.

The taller one tried to edge around her but at the mention of darts her hand went up to her sore belly.

"Where's mom!" she shouted as more people appeared behind her.

"Careful," they warned each other, "She can bend all of 'em."

A woman stood out from the group and began to reassure her, "Don't worry sweetie, everything's fine. Just settle down and we'll take her to you."

They all looked wrong, they spoke wrong, they were all wrong. _I should worry, everything was not fine_. "Liar!" She whipped a current of air across the line of them sending them all tumbling backwards. "You're all liars!" She swept a wave of air with her foot back towards the first two figures. Instantly the airship went into a nosedive tossing everyone forwards and backwards as the pilot tried straightened out the controls. But Yue was bending everything at everyone. She was screaming, exploding within the metal tube. She felt heavy again, a small sting on her side. She reached out to grab hold of the wall but unintentionally ripped the hull, sucking her out into the air, free-falling. The adrenaline of falling had her fight against her drowsiness. She air-bended herself away from the shrieking airship by rocketing herself upward and away. She did this many times, sometimes she'd wake up hurdling to the ground before she blasting in the other direction, trying to slow down but she was so tired, more tired than she ever felt in her whole life. The ground came rushing towards her as she closed her eyes, surrounding herself in a pocket of air before everything turned white and she was asleep.

She woke up screaming. A cloud was all around her, was she dreaming or dead? Other figures emerged from the cloud coughing and Yully remembered. She remembered everything. Punav and Losha were the first to enter the snow dust cloud as the healers retreated. Stepping over the rubble they made their way to a huddled figure on the ground. Losha took off her robe and placed it over Yully's shoulders. At the warm touch, Yully looked up through her tears, "Mom…Dad?"

Punav and Losha collapsed to their knees embracing their found daughter as the dust began to settle. The entire hut was destroyed as well as the surrounding roads which were lined with the hundreds of villagers.

 **THE NEXT NIGHT**

Most of the Northern Water Tribe was crammed into the great hall celebrating the newly appointed Chief Desna. Korra and the gang sat at a table near the front of the hall, on a terrace under the councils table. On the highest terrace stood Desna in proper Chief attire with his council on either side of him. The people were expecting Chief Desna to sit so the feast could began but he continued to stand.

"Brothers and sisters, this fight with our Southern Tribe has torn some of us apart, but it has also united others. As I'm sure you heard her arrival yesterday afternoon, a certain water-bender has returned home after twelve years. Her fate was a tragedy and a mystery to us all but today I would like to welcome her back home. May I present Yue of the Northern Water Tribe!"

The hall began to buzz with hushed whispering, then out from the side of the hall on the front terrace walked Punav and Losha guiding their daughter. The gang did a double take to recognize Yully. Her hair was brushed back out of her face with three braids pulled into a high pony-tail. Her ceremonial gown was simple and elegant with white fur on the cuffs of her neck and long sleeves. They gave a short speech of how Tenzin and Korra found her and brought her back. They made sure to emphasize on her water-bending skills. Yully finished the speech with a pledge to make her parents and her city proud. A wild applauds broke out overpowering Korra's scoff. All throughout the feast Korra was solemn while the other enjoyed themselves. It wasn't until the feast was nearly ended that Tenzin noted Yully's absence to Punav seated beside him. Punav said that she was feeling overwhelmed and needed some air. Tenzin nodded understandably then shot a glance at Korra's empty chair.

Korra who had been watching Yully's every move was the only one to see her slip away during the feast. She followed her foot tracks through the snow to the rubble of what used to be the Healing Hut. Though she was sure Yully knew she was closing in on her, she didn't turn around from cementing the pieces of wall together back together with ice.

"It won't help." Korra stopped a good stand-offish distance away. The portion of wall she had already done looked like a jigsaw puzzle with broken pieces.

"So better to leave it in ruins?" Yully caressed an ice patch through an elaborate hand carve design outline what used to be the archway door.

"It would have been better if it didn't get broken in the first place."

Yully snapped her head around to see Korra looking around the ruins, as if it was her house that Yully destroyed. Her tone lightened but her gaze remained dagger sharp, "Enjoying the party? You should try the walrus lion, its blubbery and tasteless. You'd like it." _Focus on the repairs. Cracks can make it more beautiful, shows that it was loved._ But who was she kidding? The intricate art work of their ancient ancestors were broken without meaning and repaired out of guilt.

Korra walked up to the hut a few steps away, running her hand down an ice patch, "You won't be able to hide the cracks. Even if you do make it look like it did before, the cracks will still be there. Some things can't be repaired."

"What do you want?" Yully was tired, it had been a long day of listening to people asking her questions before making up their own answer no matter what she said.

She tapped the wall and innocently shrugged, "Just wanted to see how you were."

Yully took a defensive step backwards, "No, you want to know what I am."

"Oh I know what you are," she moved away from the wall, "but I want to know how you did it."

"Did what?"

"Exist!" she hissed, "How you survived!"

Yully leaned in sneering, "Obviously I didn't or else you wouldn't exist!"

Korra opened her arms mockingly, "Except here we are. And I want to know how you got away."

Shaking her head Yully began to walk away, "Not now Korra."

"Oh I'm sorry, is there a better time to ask you about the people you killed?"

Yully built up her steam, nostrils flaring, and marched back to Korra, "They stole my life!" She shouted every word in the sentence as the bane of her existence.

"Yes they did," she shouted back, "but you took theirs away too. Do you remember how many there were? On the airship? Do you? Because the pile of wreckage they found, well they could hardly identify it as an airship it was so twisted and melted and blown to bits." The report she received from the police station was graphically detailed, "Tenzin didn't want to believe you did it so he never told you. But you remember, don't you? Or do forget their faces in the vast number of others who's live you took?"

Yully tightened her fists, looking anywhere but at Korra's accusing stare, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Korra almost laughed at her guilty face, "I know you remembered what happened. Bet it didn't surprise you when you did remembered though since you did the same thing to your work overseers. I know it must be hard to keep track of the numbers but that was so recent. You blood-bended them to get the papers didn't you? Bet you weren't too happy with them when they didn't have your papers huh? They were never seen again and I bet you made sure of that."

"Why does that matter to you!"

"Oh it doesn't," she wore a sly smile like she knew everything, "But it does matter to your parents and your tribesmen I'm sure." That hit a nerve in Yully, she stiffened like a cold caress down your spine, "Do you think they'll let you be a part of anything let alone be proud of you? Do you think they'll be proud of what you've done? Of what you are?" she pointed criticizingly at the rubble of the once beautiful hut and then at Yully, "I know what your playing at but do you think the world wants a murderous and disgraced and forgotten ex-Avatar protecting them?"

"I've protected Republic City and know more of the world than you," finding a fight she began to shout, "I've traveled all around the world, I've seen its people and lived among them, spoken to them, I was them! While you've been isolated in that Southern castle surrounded by elite benders and councilmen. You don't know the people. The closest you've been to the people is to entertain them in a game and start a civil war between your tribes." Her entire body became an arrow pointing at Korra, "You let your personal emotions make your decisions for you, no matter how it effected the people involved!"

This was their standoff, meters away from one another they didn't hold back their feelings.

"At least I have something I care about! You don't have anything personal to care about! Your own family isn't personal to you! You were replaced as their child and replaced as the Avatar. So stop ruining my life just because your life sucks!"

"Hah! You don't need me to ruin your life. You can do that yourself! What you can't do is be the Avatar on your own. I'm the one that brought the people together to fight Amon. I personally saved Tenzin and his family all while you let Amon get away!"

"He took my bending away!" Korra nearly screamed.

"Because you've had everything! You've never had anything taken away from you that was meant to be yours! Everything's been handed to you, you never earned it! And you still wouldn't have your bending back if it wasn't for me!"

"Doesn't matter! Cuz I'm the Avatar! So you better get used to it!"

Yully lowered her head and voice, "I'm used to the wrong people being in charge…until they're not."

"You threatening me?" Korra took a step forward.

"Since the day we met." Yully stepped closer.

Korra scoffed, "Well you won't be a threat here." She shouted up at the open sky and empty surrounding mountains.

"I can't stay here forever, how else will I save the world once you've failed it again." She stepped forward again.

"That will never happen." Korra stood firm as Yully began to circle her.

"Oh but you've already. Amon captured you, took away your bending and failed the world. I saved you, so I saved them. I was the first choice, I was meant to be the Avatar. Then it had to settle for you. But even now I'm stronger, wiser; I'm better than you." Yully walked tortuously slow behind Korra's back, "Tenzin knows it, you know it, and your friends, especially Mako, knows it. Face it Korra, you're everyones second choice."

The end of that last word slithered its way through the cold air and bit Korra like venom.

Just as Tenzin had gathered Korra's friends to find her, the rumbling shook the ice chandelier. At first it sounded like spectacular percussion from the band but it soon overtook the music and the conversations until it was its own music of cracking ice, howling wind, fiery explosions and earth tremors. People came running towards the council but got lost against the current of people trying to evacuate the building. But Tenzin knew, as did the council as they made a mad dash towards the commotion outside.

As most of the tribe had been in the hall, no one had really witnessed how it began but they saw the damage done in what few minutes was given to the catastrophe. Buildings were sliced in half, rivers broke into houses, new walls and trenches were formed in an endless labyrinth of disorder. The townspeople gathered outside the hall as it stood atop a great staircase that lead down to an arena. Acting as a giant trench barrier against the oncoming turbulent cloud of snow. From within the cloud was an explosion followed by a propelling object through the air and tumbling down into the arena. Before the impact snow cloud had settled, Korra ran back towards the bigger cloud that was slowly becoming transparent. Yully stood within the mist; her hair, her white shirt, and light blue skirt made it difficult to see her; as if she was part of the cloud.

Korra shot a brilliant flame into the cloud, evaporating the cloud. But Yully came sliding down the wall of the arena with her own fire making the wall become a waterfall. As Yully landed on the arena floor she shot the water out at Korra. She was swept away with the current for a second before turning the current back towards Yully. It looked like she would be engulfed by it as she stood arms outstretched palms facing the oncoming water. And at the last moment Yully spread her arms and the blast of water steamed against a wall of fire. Korra shot out another blast of water which Yully again spread her arms out but the water hit an invisible wall then became the wall. It moved as Yully advanced towards the panting Korra. She didn't think someone so small was that powerful, she had to end this now. Korra threw a variety of fire, water, and earth attacks to penetrate the wall. But Yully kept advancing sending out earth tremors to unsteady Korra. They were a few meters apart when the wall had dissipated completely. Yully stood there, her open hands pressed together at her chest. Korra had to attack with the most offensive offense she could imagine. And it came to her.

In one hand dropped a hissing fire whip and the other hand broke off an ice stalagmite from the ground with a spiked end. The ignored onlookers above them gaped at the barbaric weapons of bending as they had never heard of Discipline Pits. Korra could see Yully narrow her eyes and hoped all her wounds burned and stung her. Korra attacked, running full speed directly at the patiently waiting target. But as Korra closed in to about two meters distance Yully's hands rotated outward as Korra smashed through a cold hard invisible barrier. It shattered around her making her trip face first into the snow as it rained down on her. She dropped her ice club and the whip incinerated itself. Korra crunched the snow in her fists as she turned around to see what she had ran through. It was a giant ice sheet in the air with a shattered hole that spread to the edges of the sheet before shattering completely. But it wasn't there before, she would have seen it. _Did Yully conjure ice out of the air?_ But Korra couldn't dwell on that feat as she felt her body move on its own. It jerked her up to her knees, arms pinned tightly to her side. Yully walked slowly up to Korra, stepping on shattered ice shards as Korra's body twitched at the slightest guidance from her fingers. Only for those few moments did the snow finally settle in the dark white arena. And long strenuous moments they were.

Within the crowd of onlookers Bolin ventured a question to no one in particular, "Aren't water-benders only supposed to do that on the full moon?" Those within ear shot, which was more than expected due to the held breathes throughout the crowd, dared a glance at the sky. The crisp black sky speckled with millions of twinkling stars draped like a curtain over the white stage with no moonlit spotlight to illuminate the hero.

"Does this bring back any memories?" Yully glared down at her while Korra was internally exploding, "Any at all?"

Korra pried her eyes away from those black eyes and gasped. A flashback of steep walls, the surrounding crowd looking at her as she couldn't move, was speechless, was helpless. The pit back at Yully's village. The crowd at Amon's rally. Korra's eyes shot back to the still closer Yully. She had planned this. _What a poetic brat_. During their quick and fierce fight, Korra lashed out, she was exhausting herself, not thinking while Yully was collected, methodically draining Korra's strength by only defending herself. She had watched her move, how she fought while Korra threw everything at her.

She was standing right in front of Korra now, leaning forward so they were eye level. She spoke meticulously, "Do you realize what you're losing right now? You thought what Amon took from you was hard to get back? Try getting your reputation, your respect back after losing it in front of all your silent supporters. Do you know why they're silent?" She leaned closer so that Korra could feel her breath on her ear, "It's because they're not there." Korra was expecting a smirking and gloating face as she stood up, but Yully's face was expressionless with no emotions at all. A cool empty vastness.

"Enough!" bellowed Tenzin from the edge of the arena. Yully's eyes, as well as most of the crowds, darted up towards Tenzin. Korra felt Yully's hold weaken in that moment and all the bottled up energy and anger erupted at once. Her fingers wrapped around the dropped club and Korra stood up as she swung the club across Yully's face. They had swapped place, Korra stood above Yully, who had crumpled to the ground holding the side of her face.

Korra tilted her head back taking a victory breath. She had won, she had beaten her, she had-her audience. She looked around expectedly for applause. But there was none. They looked down, some stunned, some horrified. She didn't understand; she looked down at the cowering Yully scrunched up on the ground. Then another flashback to Amon's rally, the pit in Yully's village. She stood in Amon's place, in Leoi's place. But they were for two completely separate reasons; one was in the wrong and the other in the right. She stood in this place now, but so did Yully just a moment ago. So which of them was in the right? Then another stomach dropping realization; Yully had used fire-bending. _Was there a chance they all missed that?_

The club dripped out of Korra's hand, "Get. Up." She ordered. But it was all still, more agonizingly drawn out seconds. She reached down to grab Yully by the arm and haul her up and out of there. But the sudden contact with Korra made Yully flinch away violently before retching up what little she had to eat at her own celebration.

What was going on? This is not right, none of it. Why was Korra feeling guilty? Those people with their judgmental stares didn't understand. She had enough. Turning on her heel she made her way back towards the hall where they were set up with lodging. She tried to ignore the stares, the frightening parting of the crowd for her, or the concerned shouts for Yully behind her. They didn't understand. No one did.


	13. Book 2: Episode 9

**Episode 9: FROM BAD TO WORSE**

The water tribe council had three members; the Chief and two advisers. But since Unalaq had vanished with Eska, Chief Desna sat at the head of the table. But since he was still pretty new and getting used to the responsibilities, Council Connik was leading the meeting. But it felt more a one-sided scolding.

"That spectacle you two put on last night has reached Republic City! That's all people are talking about. Two Avatars? Are they on opposite sides? Which one is the real one? Those lousy reporters are having a field day! First, our Chief tricks the Avatar into opening the Southern Portal which has been closed since the dawn of time! Then he manipulates our soldiers to declare war with our southern tribe. Now he's a war criminal! Third, the long lost Silver Avatar just happens to appear out of nowhere. And on top of it all challenges the real Avatar, destroys half the city and all because you got in a spat? Is that really your excuse! Do you realize the controversial repercussions that will backlash from this!"

For an older guy, the councilman had a lot of energy. He voiced amplified in the small war room. Only the council, Korra, Tenzin, Yully and her parents sat around the circular table.

Yully looked like a kicked dog with her head hung to the side trying to hide her face. The healers worked immediately on her cut face but there were still faint scrape marks across her redden cheek. "It wasn't my-" but a hard slam on the table quieted her.

"You will cease your mockery of this council!" the councilman lowered his voice but the seriousness remain, "Your absence has been nothing but remorseful. And we are all glad to have you back. But this-two benders of the elements-it's unprecedented. Everyone in the world is concerned and how do you introduce yourself? By destroying a portion of the city in a fight with the Avatar!" He finally took a breath, "Fortunately we may be able to salvage some respect and dignity out of your juvenile behavior. Since it is evident that you two cannot cooperate together, like the squabbling children you are you two will be separated. Unalaq's presence in the South is increasing and we have yet to know his motives. Avatar Korra you must find out what his intentions are. Since he has his base in the South you will confront him there. Yue shall stay in the North and restore what damage you can toward the city and your character. You shall also protect the North Portal from whoever may try to open it in some effort to demonstrate your allegiance to the Avatar," he leaned back into the chair, sitting to his full height, "These decisions are open for a vote to vote poll towards the council and those; Korra, Yue, involved."

Five synchronized 'yays' reverberated around the room.

"So it is done. Hopefully during your time apart you'll realize that there are more important issues to concern yourselves with besides your personal opinion of each other as the priority. Next we need to file a formal report to the masses. An informal report was released yesterday afternoon to the world leaders but since the catastrophe last night we are being hounded by representatives, flying in from all the nations. All decisions in this meeting will be included in that report. These decisions are closed to a vote to vote poll as unanimous agreement from the council." Connik took a deeper breath, his voice more firm, "The next issue we must address is the tension between our tribes. This civil war was not our intent. So it is our duty to take the first step to resolve this dispute. Unalaq's betrayal of our peoples trust and attacking the Souths borders has left both prides wounded. Thankfully Desna has shown true sense and courageous strength rejecting his father and has sworn to do what he can to end this war. It has been proposed by this council that we grant independence to the Southern Tribe, but that matter is for another time. We must demonstrate our compliance with one another immediately so we shall hold an event to show our united tribes collaboration. Now a few ideas of celebration has been brought up; one in particular would be most ideal. It has been the tradition of our tribes to select the most promising leaders of a generation-"

Punav stood up so suddenly his chair tipped over, "You're not serious!"

"You are no longer on this council Punav." The councilman challenged.

Losha and Tenzin sat muted in disbelief as Punav threw his fist on the table, "We've given up on that practice!" Korra and Yully stared tight-lipped trying to figure out what they were talking about.

"And look what happened! Chief Amook's distress over loosing his first born allowed his second daughter to marry for love. Her child was brought up to be Unalaq. It is time we reconcile what was meant to be done decades ago. We propose a marriage to unite our people and our tribes in celebration that our war is finished."

"Dad?" Yully helplessly looked up to her father, she was confused and didn't like where this conversation was heading.

"For the Northern candidate, Desna, as he has shown great loyalty and commitment for his tribe. His participation will show that Unalaq's influence only goes so far. For the Southern can-"

"She was born in the North!" Punav desperately pleaded.

"She is Chief Sokka's granddaughter. Her bloodline is of the Southern Tribe and she is the previous Avatar, an existing past reincarnation. Their union will demonstrate each tribes willingness to end this war and provide a strong and safe future!"

Only Connik and Korra looked committed at this proposal. Desna always looked solemn, so it was difficult to tell but the faces on everyone else dripped down their faces. They sat dumb-founded at the complete loss of reason.

But Connik resumed the insanity, "And as we have a council member as the involved party, Korra will you input your unbiased vote in this poll?"

Tenzin closed his eyes, this wasn't happening. He couldn't give his vote as he was related to Yully, but it was impossible for Korra to give an unbiased opinion. But as she was the Avatar…

She sat for a moment compiling her opinion. She wanted it to be brutally honest in every sense. Smiling, she carefully picked out her words, "Certainly, but uh…I'd like to explain my unbiased option to the council as the Avatar. From an outsiders perspective." She shifted her spiteful gaze onto the horrified Yully as Connik mumbled in the background. Korra continued, "Taking the situation we find ourselves in, there are not many options we have that would benefit us the most. Your proposal however councilman I believe will benefit everyone involved. The tribes will be united, it'll show Yue's devotion to protect the tribe and she'll be with her family. It would be the best path for us to take so that the least amount of pain will be inflicted upon the least amount of people. Considering the peoples wellbeing, it would be everyones best interest for this marriage to happen." She leaned back in her chair smugly, "Yay."

"Yay," from Connik.

"Nay," from Councilwoman Shae.

"Nay," from Chief Desna.

There was a sigh of relief from her parents and Tenzin. A three to two-

"Yay," from Yully.

There was a gasp of disbelief from her parents, "Yue…" Tenzin breathed out.

She abruptly stood up stoned-faced, "Councilmen I accept the proposal and am honored to help protect the Water Tribes alongside the Avatar." Then she walked as fast as she could out of the room.

"And so it is done."

 **LATER**

Up on the high wall surrounding the city, Yully saw the extent of damage from her fight with Korra. It looked as if two giants had fought. Flattening areas the size of a house, new rivers meandering this way and that, all throughout the city. She had been standing there, arms crossed, for the better part of the day, ever since the council meeting. She couldn't stay at home with her parents questioning her decision. It took all of her strength to accept the proposal that she was too exhausted to explain herself. Now her evasive tactics came to an end when Tenzin, Korra, and the rest were preparing the airship for departure.

When he spotted her, Tenzin didn't say a word but instead walked right into a hug. During their flight here, he had learned that she was strong and would do anything for the betterment of others she cared about. She wanted the tribe, her family, to like her and if marriage was what it took to save them, she'd do it.

As she pulled away he let his hand rest on her shoulder, "Welcome home."

She returned his comforting smiling with a smile she hoped was reassuring, "Thank you Tenzin, I hope we'll see each other again soon."

"We will, and I'm sorry that I won't be there for your wedding." Since the North declared their separation from Unalaq when he attacked the Southern tribe, they were more than hospitable to the more and more refugees that were arriving each day. So the council was eager to marry the intended on the night of Harmonic Convergence, a mere few days away.

"I'm not," she grinned light-heartedly shaking her head.

He pulled her in for a final hug then took a step back, "I miss you already. Love you-A"

"Love you ten-zillion times more." Not all the memories that came back to her were bad.

Korra scoffed as she stomped onto the boarding ramp. Tenzin kissed Yully's forehead and walked on-board giving Korra a sideways glare that she ignored as she waited by the door.

Yully vowed not to look at her, to see her smirking face, but she felt her burning stare in her back. Thankfully Bolin came strolling up, "So uh thanks for saving me from the gangsters that you handed me over to…I guess."

She couldn't help but smile at his goofy shrug, "I'm sorry I couldn't teach you metal-bending. For real." She patted his wrists gently.

"Ah that yeah," he absentmindedly rubbed his wrist, "I think that lesson will last me awhile, don't you-A?" he gave her a double thumbs-up with straightened index fingers.

She cringed, "Mmmm-no".

"Aw what? Don't I get a cute nickname?"

"I can call you Bobo?"

He shook his head, "Doesn't really suit me."

"Least it's better than brother-in-law."

He let out a short laugh, "HA-yeah sure did miss out on that huh?"

Then Asami strolled up the ramp carrying briefcases, "Come on Bolin, we'll miss the wind-tide."

He looked back, Yully's smile was gone, "Congrads on the we-on finding your family."

Her smile returned, "Thanks."

Bolin waved then headed up the ramp. Mako had been dawdling about waiting for everyone else to board. As they were still on the gang plank he lowered his voice and started to ramble.

"Tenzin told us everything. I'm so sorry Yully. I told her it was my idea. I don't know how she knew you that told me all that."

She shrugged with a playful smile, "Probably sounded too logical for you to come up with."

He didn't smile, "You don't have-"

"Yes I do…this is for the best…for everyone."

"Not for you."

She was about to say something when Korra and Asami yelled, "MAKO!" at the same time.

Yully scoffed, "Seriously though if that's what love does to you, I'll take arranged marriage any day."

She hoped her smile was convincing. They didn't wave or say goodbye. Mako simply left with a small nod.

Tenzin and Korra avoided each other most of the trip back. It wasn't until they reach Air Temple Island that they had a full conversation.

"What makes you so frightened of her?" Tenzin shouted. He had mentioned he had to make a call to someone and Korra asked if it was Yully and if he already missed her.

"I'm not scared of her!" Korra fired back.

"Then why do you think she's threatening you!"

"Because she is a threat to me and to everyone!"

"You don't know that," Tenzin didn't want to remember the ones that threatened Yully.

"I know she wants to be the Avatar and that makes her a threat," she marched past Tenzin, "She has to accept her place and who she is."

"As do you," he called after her.

Korra spun around and marched back to him, "I know who I am!"

"You're afraid," he said gently, "And when you're afraid, you lose confidence in who you are and what people around you mean to you."

Korra nodded like she finally understood, "Or is it that you've lost confidence in me Tenzin? I know you'd rather train with Yue than with me."

"Korra-"

"You get along better with her in a week than you have with me in months!" it was obvious to her and everyone else it was true.

"She's my family Korra-" he started.

"And I'm not?" she clenched her fists, "I've known you my entire life. Doesn't that make me family?"

"Korra of course you are, its just-" he gently put his hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off and walked away.

"I don't think there's anything else I can learn from you. If you can't guide me to the spirit world, I'll find my own teacher," she said not looking back.

 **FINDS OUT JINORA CAN BE HER SPIRITUAL GUIDE**

 **ASAMI FINDS HER WAREHOUSES EMPTY**

It had been three days of living back at home. Punav was gone most of the day tending to the livestock. Ever since he retired from the council he took up hunting and selling the meat and skins. Before he enjoyed spending long hours away from home, but now he yearned to be there. Losha loved spending the day at home making merchandise for trade before, but now it unnerved her to be home. The last two days had been trying. Simple daily things were foreign to Yully. Eating three times a day made her sick so she didn't eat much of Losha's special dish that Yully had loved when she was small. When questioned about it and she told them. Losha burst into tears while Punav would get infuriated and ask more questions. The next day was more awkward small talk and tour of the city but it winded Yully so easily they had go home for her to sleep.

But later that night when she couldn't sleep she decided sit by the fire. Sensing an open pocket of air below her she got curious. And she found herself in her old gallery. She assumed they had covered them up, but instead they had buried it. She had stayed down there the entire night. When her parents found her in the morning they had explained to her that they had to move on but they could never forget. It sounded reasonable to her but she still felt angry and upset at them. So she refused Punav's offer to go hunting and she refused Losha's offer to help her make baskets. Instead she sat in her gallery as tomorrow she would start repairing the rest of the city. She had quickly repaired the major damages the was given a grace period to adjust.

Losha ducked her head into the gallery, "Yue? Dinner's almost ready, can you help me cut some fruit?"

"I'm not hungry." Yully mumbled.

 _Cheerfulness, she just needs motivation_ , "Well I'd still like it if you helped me. I'll show you how to cut a flower into the watermelon rind.

"I already know how to." She closed her eyes. _Just leave me alone_.

"Okay well, "she searched for something to get her out of that pit, "can you find your brother for me then? Tell him to come inside."

"He's outside."

She forced a chuckled, "That boy can't get enough outside lately."

"He said he likes his soul and didn't want me to take it." _Do all the kids in the world know the same bedtime story_?

"Yue-" a knock interrupted Losha's attempt to lie. She disappeared from the hole and spoke to someone at the door. A minute later she called, "Something for you Yue!"

Yully sighed deeply, stretching her fingers, toes, neck, all her limbs and joints before leaping out into the entrance hall. She made her way to the kitchen. _Mother_ _'s ploy to get me to help with the fruit?_ But she was cutting up a storm, all the fruit was already cut. A small box sat on the table. Yully took the top off and stared down at it. When Losha had cut the fruit to pretty much mush and Yully still hadn't said anything she walked over to where Yully sat turning the necklace over in her hand.

Losha crossed her arms and forced a smile, "Do you like it?"

Yully looked quizzically up at her, "What is it?"

"Its a betrothal necklace," Losha pulled down her collar to show hers, "When a couple is to be wed, the bride-to-be receives a betrothal necklace from the groom-to-be. And you wear it for the rest of your life."

Yully looked back at the necklace, "How lovely," then dropped it carelessly on the table, "a collar."

She didn't know what to say, "Yue," she set her hand on Yully's shoulder but she shrugged off the affection and set her head on the table. She said that her new tribal clothes made her sweat and were uncomfortable so she wore a big sweater, pants, and boots everywhere. Losha tried to braid her hair, but Yully preferred it in down. She wasn't putting in any effort so Losha tried to make up for it, "I think another few visits to the healing hut may help these and your burn." She rubbed Yully's back affectionately.

"Why?" She barked laying with her cut cheek on the table.

"Why what?"

She could feel Yully tense her body through the sweater, "Why should I get rid of them? They're a part of me or is that a part of me that you'd rather not see? To forget?"

Putting her hand to her forehead, Losha realized how tired she was. She had been running around getting Yully settled in, preparing lots of foods, buying clothes, and attempting to bond with her but she was so distance. Before that council meeting she was telling them about her adventures around the world and laughing and smiling, but now nothing. Losha rubbed her forehead and said the first thing that came to mind, "I don't think your fiance would-"

Yully stood up in her chair so quickly it tipped over, "I don't care what that monotoned sulking weirdo thinks of my scars!"

Startled, Losha was reminded of a talk she and Punav had the other night, "Yue," she clasped her hands together, "this is a very complex situation. And taking into consideration your…erratic behavior-you must try to reserve these outbursts. You will be in the eyes of this entire tribe, of the world; you must play the part."

Yully pushed herself onto the table, "Right because life is a game…but hang on I already lost at that! And yet I'm repairing the city, I'm looking after the North Portal, and I'm engaged to someone I haven't even met! At the end of this week! Which part am I not playing?

Hot angry tears rolled down Losha's face, "My daughters'."

"Well you haven't played your part quite well either mother!" she emphasized on that last word, "Not even after all these years, you still can't fight for me? You just sat there and let them auction me off!"

"That's not fair Yue!" Losha had been screaming in her head so loudly this last week she had lost her thoughts and was speaking without thinking.

"None of this has been for me, why shouldn't it be for you!"

"What's going on?" They hadn't heard the door open as Punav tossed meat on the table, prompting Yully to slide off the edge.

Losha stalked back into the kitchen frantically cleaning up the unusable fruit mush, "She's just…she can't-hasn't…aaah!" she pounded her fists on the counter.

"She's what?" Yully mocked, "Impossible, difficult? Is she returnable?"

Punav stood between the two trying to resolve this, "Yue-Yully, I know this is confusing for everyone but we just need to take this slow, we're still getting to know each other. Right Losha?"

His tone was just slightly too accusing for her, "Why single me out! She's the one being-"

"Losha!" he snapped turning towards her.

"You always take her side!"

The overturned chair skidded across the floor as Yully retreated down the hall toward the door.

Punav ran out to an empty hall, "Yully wait!" he looked back at the fuming Losha, "See what you did?"

"What I did! You have another child too you know! You've neglected him ever since she came back!"

Walking away from the hurtful things she said didn't help, she could still taste their sour sting on her tongue. Something cold stung the back of her head. Looking behind was little Arata glaring at her. Not being able to look at him, she turned back around without brushing the snow out of her hair and watched the ground.

She hadn't meant to, but she found herself at the spirit oasis. Immediately upon entering through the small door she felt better, warmer, calmer. Looking around she came across the spirit fish in the pool. She wondered if she had a little bit of the moon spirit in her as the princess did. Sitting down on the edge of the pool, Yully took off her shoes. This was probably taboo but she had always let the fish tickle her feet in the streams back in the Earth Kingdom. She dripped her feet into the water and wiggled her toes. The spirit fish didn't take notice. _Guess I don_ _'t have the spirit._

Taking her feet out of the water she watched the fish, they were mesmerizing.

Thinking of Grandfather Sokka, she wondered if he had sat where she sat before. Not being able to remember him clearly, she connected with him the only way she knew how.

Peering into the water she asked the fish, "Why do spirit fish swim in salt water?" she paused, "Because pepper water would make you sneeze," she giggled to herself, "Do you even have noses?" she squinted through the water. "What do you call a cold ghost?" she paused, "Cas-puuurrr."

A drawn out laugh behind her startled her. There was an elderly gentlemen in tribal clothing with a grown out warriors wolf tail, "I would've guessed Sok-kakakakaka."

A five almost six year old Yully gasped and scurried to her feet, "Gramp-Gramp!" she squeal with laughter as he scooped her up into a hug.


	14. Book 2: Episode 10

**Episode 10: THE GUIDE**

 **JINORA PREPARES TO TAKE KORRA INTO SPIRIT WORLD**

Jinora being Korra's spirit guide was a surprise in its own, but she was feeling oddly confident about going into the Spirit World. In the end there was little resistance to Korra entering the Spirit World with Jinora's help. It was amazing, feeling complete as an Avatar for the first time. It wasn't until Korra had wondered off a great distance in exploration that she remembered her mission. But Jinora was no where in sight. This being her first Spirit Walk, she probably landed somewhere not too far off from Jinora, but her senseless meandering had made her completely lost.

 **JINORA GETS INTO LIBRARY**

 **ASAMI, BOLIN, MAKO SEARCH THROUGHOUT WAREHOUSE**

 **VARRICK IS MISSING**

 **KORRA EXPLORES SPIRIT WORLD**

Although she had never been there before things somehow felt familiar. Wondering if Avatars could share memories, Korra noted something in the distance from her vague memory. It was a spirit animal grazing in a field of cherry blossom trees. It couldn't be, but out of curiosity she called its name, "Mula?"

The spirit animal didn't seem to notice her so she called out to it louder. This time it did respond, cocking its head to one side it looked like it was confused. Korra just the spirit didn't recognize the voice but remembered the spirit. Slowly getting closer to Mula Korra reached out her hand. Timid as first, Mula sensed that somehow this was its master and so nuzzled Korra's hand. Korra laughed in relief and went in to hug Mula like a long lost friend.

 **JINORA FINDS OUT YULLY WAS TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT TREE OF TIME**

 **GETS CAPTURED BY OWL**

 **ASAMI GETS A TELEGRAM FROM YULLY:** **'APOLOGIES BUT CANCEL ALL ORDERS TO NORTHERN WATER TRIBE'**

A great shadow appeared over Korra riding Mula. It was a great owl spirit.

It began to circle them high in the air and called down, "If you want to see your human friend again, retrieve her from the Tree of Time between the portals," and flew away.

"Jinora," Korra kicked at Mula's flanks and the beast raced across the land. Arriving at the portal Korra saw Unalaq with Jinora's spirit. After thanking Mula she told her to return to the grazing field.

Jinora began to squirm in the field that restrained her and yelled out, "Yully was right!" before Unalaq silenced her.

Unalaq told Korra that if she didn't open the northern portal then he would destroy Jinora's spirit.

"Why are you doing this Unalaq?" Korra shouted.

"We had a plan once, but it failed. It's up to me now to see our future come to be."

Korra's head was reeling for answers, she didn't know what was going on. But he didn't give her that chance as his grip tightened around Jinora.

At a loss for choice, Korra opened the northern portal.


	15. Book 2: Episode 11

**Episode 11: BATTLE PLAN**

The village had been in a frenzy every since Yully arrived. There was the announcement to the people of her staying in the North, protecting the now open portal, her marriage, and the Harmonic Convergence celebration to prepare with hundreds of more people on the invite list then expected. She'd rather be repairing the city, but here she was getting fitted for her wedding gown. In the one day that she had been instructed to repair the major damages to the city, she had created a whole new portion of the town. The buildings had spectacular designs inspired from other nations, a park for kids, and a new Healing Hut was built from the foundation up. Its halls were made from the original hut; the ancient carvings and designs decorated the inside while new carvings were in the process on the outside. But now she was being poked and sticked with sewing needles in a rushed order for a wedding dress. Her mother was watching with a sad smile. After speaking with Sokka, she realized the extend of her obligations as Chief and how it pained her parents. She'd be unreachable to them for at least a month to learn how to rule the nation. But she knew it'd take longer than that. So she had been making these last few days count; helping her mother with baskets, her father preparing meat for selling, and training with Arata who had also opened up to her. The happier she got the sadder she became.

A knock at the door was no concern of the seamstresses as they plucked away at the layers upon layers of the voluminous gown. With all the extra padding Yully wasn't sure were the dress ended and she began. She hadn't dare look at her reflection for fear of the snow beast that'd look back.

The door opened crack, enough for a barely audible voice over the chattering of the women, "Madam Yue, it's for you! It's urgent and this is the farthest the extension will go."

 _An escape_! Yully shuffled towards the phone swatting away at the pursuing hands, "Take five ladies!" She untied the shoulder straps and shimmied out of the dress. She could breath. That lace corset would do nothing but take her breath away and leave her fiance disappointed with all the padding. Losha and the seamstresses were appalled as Yully swung the door open and drifted into the hallway with nothing but her silk slip. Taking the phone out of the blushing communication officers hand she leaned against the wall, "Hello, home of the incarcerated?"

"Yue!" Losha snapped from the doorway. _How many times do I have to tell her she had to keep up her enthusiasm around others?_

Adjusting her tone as she had practiced she corrected herself, "I mean blushing bride to be!"

A familiar and welcome voice snapped on the other end, "Yully!"

She'd been expecting this call, "Oh hey Asami, how's it going? Business doing well?"

"I think you know plenty well of how business is going!" She had a very commanding sharp voice when she wanted to.

Yully picked at the shimmery lace lining, "Yeah no, dreadfully sorry about that canceled shipment but-"

A dull thud sounded from the other end. A fist pounding on the table, "I don't care about the shipment because I have nothing to ship!"

Yully had to hold the receiver away from her ear, "What do you mean?"

A little farther away from the ear, "My warehouses are empty!"

"What?"

"Don't 'what me' what did you do?"

Yully rolled her eyes, this is what she got for helping, "Why'd you think I did anything?"

"Your note?"

"Yeah I canceled the order because he's a dirty rotten traitor." The silk was supposed to be smooth but it felt rough on her hands.

There was a moment of silence before a muddled, "What?"

Her first real dress and it had to be that layered cake, "Yeah he was the one that hid Unalaq's battleship and has been sending him supplies to his Southern raiders."

A befuddled Asami sounded so funny, "How did you find that out?"

Yully twirled around in the slip, why couldn't she just wear this? "Uh well while I was rebuilding part of the city I noticed some underground tunnels that shouldn't have been there and just happened to come across his secret port."

"How?" she squeaked. _Did I really almost aid Unalaq with his rebellion?_

"Accidentally knocking down a few walls here and there." She slid down the side of the wall, standing for hours was tiring, "But I've no idea what could've happened to your warehouse. It was completely empty?" She looked back into the room at the seamstresses glare. _They_ _'re going to pin a bow somewhere for revenge I bet_.

"Everything!" The connection on these sets were incredible, Yully could actually hear the echo.

"And Varrick?"

"Gone," she sighed exasperated, "his apartment and office been ransacked and no ones seen any sign of him."

Yully furrowed her brow, "Was there a goat-gorilla in his apartment or office?"

The receiver screamed, "Goat what? I just lost Future Industries and you're worried about a goat-gorilla?!"

"Uh yeah, its hollow on the inside, like a costume. I bet he's hiding in it right now."

Thinking about it Asami did notice one in his office and how he had something similar in his office in the Water Tribe, "How do you know that?" she shouted confusedly.

She remembered having her mother going through the gift inventory, "He sent one to me for a wedding gift with a note, 'In case you need a place to think, it's also great for parties!'. Hard as it may seem, its the best gift I've gotten so far."

"Oh!" she was still shouting but slowing lowered her register, "Right well uh…thanks for the tip and uh have fun at the wedding."

"Have fun with Unalaq."

The line went dead. The officer offered a hand to help her get up but not being familiar with this gesture Yully placed the receiver and speaker in his hand as she stood up. But also not being familiar in a dress she stepped on the front of the slip, tearing a slit along the bottom hem and falling flat on her face.

 **KORRA AND TEAM HEAD DOWN TO SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE TO START ATTACK**


	16. Book 2: Episode 12

**Episode 12: HARMONIC CONVERGENCE**

They were going to reach their landing spot in half an hour. Then they would break through the lines as Tonrok's forces drew their attention elsewhere. Korra leaned against the railing on the observation deck, looking out across the tundra. And there, their destination, beaming up into the sky was the open Southern Spirit Portal. She had felt her spiritual side increase drastically when she opened the Northern Portal. It felt like she discovered another side to herself. And she was suppose to close it off again?

"Korra?" Tenzin appeared beside her. He followed her gaze towards the portal when she didn't answer. "I feel it too," he joined her leaning against the railing.

"I understand why Avatar Wan closed the portals. To keep people away from Vaatu. But-" she couldn't describe the feeling.

"It may seem like you're closing off a part of you. Especially your air-bender side. The air-benders have always been the most spiritual of the elements. But-"

"I know I know," she irritably cut in, "if I don't close the portal, Unalaq will release Vaatu, it'd be 10,000 years of darkness."

"If he finds a way to release him," Tenzin corrected.

"But if he doesn't that means I would have closed the portals for nothing. And then it'd be another 10,000 years without…feeling complete." Korra looked out somberly towards the portal, imagining it closed again.

"Korra," Tenzin began, "I know it seems like you have to choose between one or the other; what you head tells you to do and what your heart tells you to do."

Korra looked up into the sky and imagined the spirits flying alongside the airships.

Yully hugged her mother and father tightly.

"And if you choose one, may it be with good intentions, it will separate two things that should coexist."

Remembering how empty the horizon was without the open spirit portal tore Korra apart.

Yully released her parents as they were chauffeured out of the hall. She was left standing in the flowered hallway in her wedding gown.

"Your heart and your mind."

Korra gripped the railing tightly.

"Either one you choose,"

Yully shut her eyes tightly to stop the forming tears.

"You'll regret not picking the other."

Korra and Yully looked up at the same time.

"Abandoning your responsibilities for what your heart desires."

Korra looked out at the open portal and felt complete.

"Or upholding your duties without any regard for yourself."

Yully walked down the aisle, strangling her bouquet of white flowers.

"And if these two halves are separated long enough, we become unfamiliar with the other."

Yully looked over at her teary eyed parents standing on one side of the alter.

"It becomes foreign and different and it makes us afraid,"

She slowly made her way up the steps.

"It makes us ignorant of the other…following one path for so long."

Across from her stood Desna with his usual demeanor of tepid attention and behind him was the proud council.

"So you're trapped in that one mindset, believing there's no other choice."

Yully closed her eyes and leaned in for the kiss as the crowd applauded.

"But there is one."

Korra looked at Tenzin hopefully.

"It's difficult but possible to do both what your head and your heart tell you."

"How," Korra asked.

"You must become balanced so you can live in both worlds equally as one."

 **Attack**

They had made it through the line easier than excepted. When they entered the spirit world each knew what the others had to do. Tenzin, Bumi, and Kya headed off to find Jinora's spirit in the Fog of Lost Souls. Korra, Mako, and Bolin made for the Tree of Time. Unalaq and Eska was already there.

"Hello my little turtledove," Eska flatly said. Bolin tried to hide his shutter.

"Give up Unalaq it's three against two!" Korra yelled.

Unalaq mouth bent up into a smile, "Then we'll have to wait another moment."

Korra was not going to let him release Vaatu. He had nothing against her, nothing to threaten against her. It wasn't until the portal beam began to glow that Korra realized he wasn't taking about Vaatu. She repositioned her feet to have both Unalaq and the portal in her sights. But she could hardly believe who appeared from the portal.

It was Avatar Aang! The bald silhouette hovering right above the ground emerging from the spirit portal. Korra was relieved; he could convince the spirits to help fight. He could—no—something was wrong. The body was too gaunt for Aang. Not grown Aang anyway, maybe when he was a child. But the aura around his head grew more fine and the waving silver beams wasn't an energy halo but hair.

"You traitor!" She tensed her body, ready to fight Yully again. She stood amidst the energy beams in a flowing white gown finally embracing her ghost persona. It would be a standoff with Korra, Mako, Bolin against Unalaq and Yully. The tree loomed over Unalaq as he beckoned Yully out of the portal. She emerged out the beam, head lowered in shame too cowardly to show her face. But the portal was still pulsing with energy. _Did she bring reinforcements?_ Another figure emerged behind she, baring a shameless smirk.

"Desna," Korra quietly gasped. _What was going on? Were they, the three of them, working together this entire time?_ It wasn't until they were closer that Korra noticed something really off; the apparent contrast between Desna's strut and Yully's limp glide.

"Let her go!," Mako yelled as Desna had reached his father's side who took over the blood-bending of the unconscious Yully. Desna joined Eska in the middle of the battle field, "Oh but you already let her go," Eska said, "Letting her marry a complete stranger."

Desna spoke his turn, "Which by the way I have to thank you Korra for your help with that. That speech you made was so much more moving than what I had prepared. I didn't even need to use my vote."

Korra was trying to process all that was happening too fast. But she didn't have time. Unalaq shoved Yully against the tree, releasing his hold but still her body stuck to the tree. There was a growing electric thickness in the air you could taste it. Korra ran into battle; attacking the siblings as Bolin and Mako joined in. They could distract them while she stopped Unalaq, but they were too late in their stunned silence. Yully's head slammed against the tree trunk her eyes and mouth emitting a pale blue glow. The dark spirit residing in the tree attacked her bending energy as Unalaq placed his hand on her forehead and chest. Out from his eyes and mouth shone a dark orange beam that quickly consumed the pale blue light. And the spirit world was cast into an dull orange haze.

Yully sunk to the ground as Unalaq breathed in his new powers. Korra tossed Desna into Eska, leaving them to fight against Mako and Bolin. She rushed up the slight incline as Unalaq tested out his fire, earth, and air abilities. She had played right into their hands. She had given them the key to open up the tree. While she was worried about Yully opening the tree, Unalaq had sent Desna to acquire Yully, used the Dark Spirit to transfer her bending to him so he could open the tree up himself. She was closing in on him when a dark spirit blind sided her, throwing her meters away. Getting to her elbows she saw the dark spirits had been attracted to the tree due to the increase of dark energy. All of them were battling the spirits, including Desna and Eska.

Eska cried for help from her father but he ignored them as he conjured all the elements into a piercing spear. The dark spirits were frantic in the surge of energy as Unalaq threw the spear towards the tree. But just when the spear was about to break open the tree, a water whip wrapped itself around his eyes and jerked him backwards, sending the spear into the sky. Unalaq rolled down the embankment to face a terrifying force of fury from Punav and Losha.

They had been informed that a posse had overtaken the guards at the North portal and went with a group of soldiers to retaliate. They were the only two to make it through as the other soldiers were fighting the guards posted outside the portal. Punav threw all of his fatherly anger at Unalaq while Losha carried Yully through the Southern Portal. Korra made her way through the dark spirits to Unalaq. She and Punav fought him and the interrupting dark spirits while the boys fought the twins. But Punav's blind rage let Unalaq catch him from the side and threw him into a swarm of dark spirits. Korra threw everything at Unalaq but got distracted as the twins captured the boys in blocks of ice and Unalaq used that to throw her down a crevasse. Racing back to the tree, the spear took form and he plunged it into the heart of the tree. Out burst a dark sinewy blood red spirit, Vaatu.


	17. Book 2: Episode 13

**Episode 13: DARKNESS FALLS**

Korra looked up astonished at the giant spirit. After 10,000 years of containment, Vaatu was determined to rule this time. And Unalaq was prepared.

Abandoning his children Unalaq ran up to Vaatu, "Great noble spirit! I control all the elements all this world," his gravelly voice narrated as he demonstrated each element, with amateur skill, "If you will bond with me, I vow to cause destruction and chaos for eternity!"

As Vaatu began to move towards Unalaq, Korra snapped out of her shock and encased a prison of earth around Unalaq. Hoping it would take him a while to figure out earth-bending, Korra attacked Vaatu. Unfortunately it didn't take him too long and kicked out a wall, but before Unalaq took a step a water whip wrapped around his ankle and pulled him to the ground. Punav dragged him away from Vaatu and engaged in their second fight.

Onlooking the battle were Desna and Eska amusing themselves by taunting the brothers. But their attention was drawn back to the spirit portal. It was glowing and two figures raced out of it. Losha ran towards Unalaq and Punav while Yully hiked through the field towards them. With her dress flowing behind her and her hair let down she did look like a revengeful haunting. Grinning for a good fight the twins strode towards her. Yully lashed out ferociously yet expertly in the only element Unalaq didn't take; water. She took out Eska quickly as to focus directly on Desna.

 **LOST SOUL FOG STUFF**

It was a pretty fair match between Yully, who was exhausted, and Desna. Yully dove to the ground escaping a cluster of spiked daggers thrown at her. She needed to catch her breath. Through her frazzled hair she saw Desna standing tall.

"You know, this isn't exactly how I imagined our wedding night," the corner of his mouth twitched to a smile. Yully gritted her teeth and solidified the air around his hand to ice. Then cracked the ice. He groaned through clenched teeth as he tucked his twisted fingers beneath his armpit as he sent a turbulent wave into Yully.

Sensing Yully was still just as powerful with only water Eska ran for her father. She assisted him by helping take out Losha and Punav. Unalaq started to make for Vaatu who was pummeling Korra into the ground.

"Father please," Eska grabbed his arm, "She's too powerful and Desna's hurt."

But Unalaq tore himself from her grasp and ran to Vaatu. They had defeated the Avatar and her friends while Yully was preoccupied. This was their time. Vaatu and Unalaq merged together becoming UnaVaatu. It opened its eyes and red light shown out as it set its gaze upon Korra.

Yully threw Desna to the ground and looked down at him in disgust as he cowered. She raised her arm back and a water-whip flowed out from her fist. Just as she was about to strike, Eska jumped in front of her brother. Protecting him. Yully flashed back to how the overseers would lash down relentlessly on anyone no matter their pleas. Looking at them now, Yully took a deep breath and lowered her arm.

Easily overwhelming her, UnaVaatu connected their Avatar spirits.

In the distance Yully watched as Raava was pulled out from Korra. She set out in a run, releasing Mako and Bolin from their ice chambers as she ran past. But UnaVaatu had beat Raava into oblivion. To celebrate his victory he transported himself to Republic City to wreck havoc.


	18. Book 2: Episode 14

**Episode 14: Light in the Dark**

This was the most absolute weakest moment Korra had ever felt. All her past lives were gone, the connection severed…forever. Mako helped her sit up while Bolin quickly explained to the returning Tenzin. Losha, Bumi and Kya had taken Desna and Eska back through the Northern Portal and Yully was being held back by her father.

"So do you believe me now?!" she shouted over Punav's shoulder at Korra, "Or aren't you convinced yet?"

Punav tried to settle her down, "Yully please-"

But she kept darting from side to side trying to get past him, "No really, has any of this changed your mind? Or did marrying me off to that weasel-fox, losing the Avatar spirit and releasing a dark avatar to destroy the world still makes you believe that I'm the bad guy!"

She was able to fake a left and darted around to the right only to be confronted by Tenzin who guarded Korra, "This isn't helping anyone. We-"

For someone so small she sure did have a lot of anger, "I could have helped you from the start of all this and then maybe we wouldn't even be in this situation!"

"Stop it. It will take all of us to stop Unalaq and we can't do that fighting amongst ourselves."

While the others looked away in despair, Yully said what everyone was thinking, "He's a giant spirit monster! They couldn't take him when he was just Unalaq. How do you expect to fight him while he's UnaVaatu?"

Mako stood up behind Korra, "Well how do you suggest we fight him?"

"We can't," she pointed around Tenzin, "But she can!"

Everyone followed her finger towards Korra, who looked down helplessly.

Then it was Bolin who said what everyone was thinking, "But you just said all of us couldn't fight Unavaatu so how can only Korra?"

Her quick little feet bolted around the distracted Tenzin, "She'll just have to stop moping around and become Kor-raava," she shook her head, "Or whatever, you need to connect with the spirit monster inside you and fight him."

Korra gloomily look away, "Did you not see what happened to me?"

"Uh no sorry I was a little busy getting my nails done."

That made Korra stand up and yell in her face, "He destroyed Raava!"

Yully looked up to her, "But not you! Yes he destroyed your Avatar spirit but he didn't destroy your spirit! If there's anything you've learned these last couple weeks with me it's that it doesn't matter who's the biggest or the strongest. I can bend the elements but so what! I never could be you! You're the Avatar, Raava or no Raava. Because you-your spirit that's what makes you the Avatar. Not your past lives, your life! And you have more spirit and confidence knowing that you are the one and only Avatar more than-more than Unalaq or myself could ever have."

The silence that followed sunk in as Bolin just had to comment, "Wow that went from condensing to sincere like really fast."

Tenzin was the only one re-energized by Yully's speech as he guided Korra away to the spirit tree.

 **TENZIN GIVES SPEECH TO KORRA**

 **KORRA BECOMES SPIRIT MONSTER**

After Korra jettisoned away the brothers rejoined Yully, "So what do we do now?" Mako rubbed his neck.

Punav knelt down to rest, "Is there anything we can do?"

It was after a second that Bolin noticed that Yully wasn't paying attention and nudged her.

She continued to stare up in bewilderment at the spirit beams, "Whoa…can't believe that worked."

All in a synchronized, "What?"

The look of amazement was implanted on her face, "I mean in theory it sounded plausible…but I wasn't sure if it'd actually work. Cool…"

Bolin shook his head never thinking he'd meet a bigger air-head than himself, "Well in theory then is there anything we can do?"

That drew Yully back to reality as she frowned at them, "Its all up to her now."

Mako groaned and ran his hands through his hair, "But that can't be it. Even if she beats Unalaq, the Avatar era is over."

They all looked down in defeat except Yully, "Ummm did you not hear my epic speech there a little while ago? Korra is still the Avatar."

Punav shook his head, "But Raava is gone. There can't be another reincarnation without her."

This confused Yully, "But Korra can get Raava back."

Tenzin joined the group huddle, "How?"

This confused Yully even more, "Did I not…Did I forget to mention that part?"

Now everyone looked confused, "First time I'm hearing it." Bolin dramatically shrugged.

"Ah man that-that was the coolest part." She looked disappointment at herself for forgetting.

"Well tell us now!" urged Mako impatiently.

She snapped her attention back to the plan, "Yeah, right, well in theory: Raava and Vaatu can't exist without each other. Yin and Yang was based off of their eternal fight."

"But Vaatu was locked up for forever," Bolin countered.

"But he existed. In Yin/Yang the two halves have a little of the other within them. I think Korra, possessed by Raava, has a little bit of Vaatu in her. So if there's a small Vaatu in Raava-"

"There's a small Raava in Vaatu!" Mako exclaimed.

Yully nodded and continued, "So all Korra has to do is connect with Unvaatu, overpower him, separate small Raava, reconnect with small Raava and defeat Unavaatu."

The look of skepticism returned on Bolin's face, "That sounds pretty complicatedly impossible."

"So is my existence."

"But how will we tell Korra?" Punav looked up at the beam.

Tenzin took Yully's arm and guided her to the tree.

 **IN REPUBLIC CITY**

Spirit Korra laid half submerged in the bay as UnaVaatu was destroying planes and ships. A small blue light landed atop her knee, sitting up she saw that it was Yully's spirit projection.

 _Yully?_ she remembered the small silver haired child from her first spirit journey.

The child nodded. Did she hear my thoughts? We could speak through thought?

Small Yully, well smaller Yully stared blankly at her, _You were mean to me. You wanted to destroy me. You were bad._ Her gaze soften. _But you_ _'re also good. There's good and bad in all of us Korra._ She turned toward the havoc wrecking monster. _Sometimes all you can see is the bad but there good, deep down hidden away, there_ _'s good_. A small blue light began to shine deep within UnaVaatu.

Korra felt her heart beat quicken, "Raava!"

Spirit Yully began to float into the air, letting Spirit Korra get to her feet. _Find the blue light and become one with it. But don_ _'t get lost in the dark! There is no light in the dark! You must become the light!_

 **KORRA WINS FIGHT**

 **KILLS UNAVAATU**

 **GOES BACK TO SPIRIT WORLD AND PERMANENTLY RECONNECTS WITH RAAVA**

 **HUGS**

Tenzin was the last to embrace her, "I'm so proud of you!"

She felt like she didn't deserve it though. She looked down shamefully having to admit her losses, "I lost all my past lives…"

Tenzin held her shoulders and nodded behind her, "Not all of them…"

Korra looked over at Yully. She she stood a bit farther away than anyone else, alone and kicking at rocks. One last look of encouragement from Tenzin and she slowly walked over to her. They stood a meter apart awkwardly standing there a good minute while the anxious audience of family and friends huddled together.

"Hey," Korra tried out the tension.

It wasn't as bad as she thought as Yully pleasantly replied, "Hey…you saved the world," then bowing low, "congratulations Avatar."

Korra scoffed at herself then looked away at the portals, "I almost destroyed it."

Yully followed her gaze, pressing her thumb into her other palm, and reassured her, "Yeah well you didn't."

Then followed another awkward pause before Korra took a big sigh. _Might as well get it over with it_ , "Look I'm sor-"

Yully interrupted, "You don't have to-"

"No, yes I do-"

"Really Korra I under-"

"No you don't. Just let me-"

"I shouldn't have-"

"Will you shut up for one second!" Korra yelled, "I'm trying to apologize for everything and thank you for everything but your making me not want to anymore. So let me just do this without you being you for one second! Please!"

Yully could understand that, "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay…" Korra had to take another big breath, "So yeah, I'm sorry and thanks."

"Anytime." Yully nodded with her closed lipped smile.

 _All that for an_ _'anytime'?_ Korra bent over, hands on her knees in exhaustion over that worry, "Oh man." She limply waved at Yully, "Alright now you apologize for being a pain this entire time. Go on."

She stopped fiddling with her hands clasped them together, "I'm sorry that we got off to a bad start, and that we don't get along as well as we can, and I'll be sure to work on that in the future."

Korra squinted up at her then sighed as she stood up, "Ah whatever, I'll take it. So uh so we're good?"

"Weelll…" she began to fidget with her hands again, "I was wondering—well hoping actually that uh since I help you…ya know restore your avatar spirit that you'd restore my other bending powers?"

Korra stared deadpan at her, "Are you serious?"

"Oh comon…I…I bowed and everything." Yully slouched as she whined.

Korra held up a hand then pointed her finger at her, "Don't let me regret this."

A big toothy smile spread across her face as she ran in and hugged Korra, "Thank you!"

"Already regretting it." Korra strained her head upward pressing her palms against Yully's shoulders.

She instantly took a step back, "Right sorry."

Yully stood up straight as Korra placed her hands on her forehead and chest. A brilliant blue light began to glow around the two before dissolving into a faint pale blue.

As the light became normal again Yully quickly spun around to bend each of the elements. Turning around again she gave Korra a smiling shrug, "Just checking, thank you Avatar Korra," then bowed again.

"Thats a one time deal, you lose it again…can't help ya." Korra held up her hands in surrender.

"I won't…kinda funny huh?" she couldn't stop opening and closing her fists.

"What?"

"That out of all the water-benders, you and I were chosen as the Avatars. I mean we're complete opposite. You fight offensive, I fight defense. You're all muscle strong, I'm…not. You're even from the south and I'm from the north."

That gave Korra a thought, "We make a good team that way I guess."

"I guess…"

"But uh…maybe it happened like that for a reason. Tenzin told me once about this Yin/Yang stuff-"

"Stuff?"

"And I thought it sounded like you and me. I mean were opposites but we're similar too. I was originally from the North and you were originally from the South. And we're both determined and strong. And you are the only past life I have now and I feel like we need to stick together."

A devious smile crept on her face, "Wow Korra, I mean I like you and all but not in that way."

Korra took a step backwards appalled, "What? No! No, I didn't mean it that way! I meant-"

"Hey you're already starting to sound like me." Yully teased.

Korra let out an aggravated yell, "Argh why are you so annoying!"

Yully set her hands on her hips, "Why are you so serious?"

"I'm serious?"

"Yeah seriously stubborn!"

"Not as stubborn and annoying and rude and is a total pain like you!"

"I know what you are but what am I?"

"A complete moron!" Korra stomped her foot.

Then once proud and happy parents and friends watching now sighed and frowned. Tenzin should have known, the nature of girls, "Well…that was nice while it lasted." He chuckled looking to Punav but he was gone. Tenzin turned towards the North Portal to see Punav back to the portal with Losha in haste.

Korra rubbed her forehead, "How are you older than me?"

"How are you taller than me?"

Korra swung her arms out, "Okay stop! Look, where I was going with that was that if you wanted, you're welcome to come with us to Republic City. If you want…"

Yully leaned away peering from the corner of her eye, "This feels like a trick."

"No really, like I said we make a good team."

She switched to smiling, "Whoa uhh… I mean of course I'd love that but I'd have to ask my parents…," to frowning as she looked over and couldn't find them anywhere.

 **LATER**

Korra and Asami were loading the last of the supplies for their return to Republic City. Taking a breather Asami handed Korra a bottle of water, "So she's really coming?"

Korra plopped down on a box, "Unless she wises up."

"Why'd you invite her to join us then?" She had a bad feeling about this. It was too sudden.

Korra chugged down the water, "I don't know. Got caught up in the moment I guess." She was about to share her concerns when Yully's family came walking into view. It was the big reunion they had hoped for. Sukav, Katara, Punav and Losha, and Tenzin had swarmed around Yully the other day crying in happiness. Now they were coming back from their meeting with the water council to see her off. They walked stiffly towards the airship.

"Ah better go get her." Still Korra didn't make an effort to get up.

Asami smiled, "Want me to get her?"

She sighed thankfully, "If you don't mind, still a little awkward what with the fight, arranged marriage and each of us losing what makes us special."

Asami slid off the box and softly patted her on the head, "You'll always be special." Asami jogged up the ramp as Korra got up to finish loading the boxes.

The city looked so pristine, as it did when she first arrived. Not so much while she was here. Yully breathed in the cold clean air. She was excited she was going to be able to travel again, just like in her younger days before the workhouse. But this felt different. Maybe it was because—she was going to have to find a better mediation spot to end these awkward topside conversations.

Asami glided over towards her, "Hey your parents are here."

Breathing deeply she stretched out her limbs, "Okay I'll be down soon."

But the footsteps continued closer to the railing beside her, "Are you going to miss home?"

Yully spun around sliding off the rail, "This isn't home," she said gruffly.

"Where is then?"

Yully knew she was just being friendly but she was doing it all wrong. Leaning backwards on the railing, she looked into Asami's eyes, "Where's your home?"

She looked back through all hallways and rooms, "The house where I grew up."

"And you still live there?" Yully looked deeper into Asami's eyes.

"Yes," those empty halls and spacious rooms.

Yully lowered her head but her gaze held, "Even though your mother died and you fought your Equalist father there?"

Asami stiffened her body and voice, "Yea."

"Why?" she mercilessly pressed, "Why live there with all those bad memories?"

"Because there's good memories too."

"And the good ones outweigh the bad ones?"

"Yes," she insisted, "they do."

Yully thought on that a moment, her eyes never leaving Asami's, "And when was the last time you spoke to your father Asami?"

Her eyes bulged for a second then narrowed, "How long has it been since you first met your family to now when you're leaving Yue?"

"I don't have a family," her eyes were impenetrable as she calmly spoke, "Their Yue is gone and so are the parents I had. All thats left is Yully and strangers. They don't know me so how could they love me? I'm leaving because I don't have a home or a family while you stay in your home and neglect the only family you have left. And like it or not your father loves you. Are you going to make him wait until you're as dead to him as he is to you?"

Yully left without another word, leaving a raw and exposed emotional mess too tangled for Asami to escape from.

After a tearful goodbye Yully disappeared back into the airship while Losha drifted back to the house glaring at Punav as she left. Following her was Sukav comforting Katara, but Tenzin stood beside Punav in a quiet moment.

"Do you believe Eska and Desna to be true to their word?" Tenzin was excited the Punav had been re-elected back onto the council but still…

"Time will tell. Next week we will decide whether or not to revoke their titles." A decision he cursed the council for. Because of this quick decision he wasn't able to travel with Yully to see her safely to Republic City. He alone was convinced that the twins should be sent away while the other members believed they deserved another chance as they were under the influence of their father.

Tenzin had to bring up the subject, "Yully's testament was surprising. For their reinstatement."

Punav shut his eyes trying to forget how she declared that their love for their father was admirable, and as his love for them was surpassed by his own greed, their love for him also faltered. The thought of a child losing their love was too much for him.

Tenzin pressed the issue, "And Yully… are you sure about this?"

Punav spoke through a hoarse voice, "She needs to live her own life, not a life she lost. Our prayers have been answered, she's alive, but she wasn't meant to live in the north. She was meant to travel, to help others." He understood that and he accepted that but he didn't think Yully did. She stared vacantly at the wall as he tried to explain this was for her own good. Tears began to stream down his scrunched up face, "Its too dangerous for her here now."

Tenzin gently placed a hand to steady Punav's shoulder, "You couldn't have known."

He shook his head slightly, anger welling up, "It's still my fault."

"How much does she remember?" Tenzin looked to the airship, bringing his hands together.

Punav wiped his hand down his face and cleared his throat, "Their names, that they were the Red Lotus… She believes that they are all gone."

Tenzin nodded firmly, "I'll make sure that stays that way." He looked directly at Punav, "I'll protect her."

He nodded back then tore his eyes away from the airship out over the city, "She's stronger than…anyone could've imagine."

"Through pain," Tenzin said distantly, "She is strong through pain and that kind of strength is uncontrollable and unpredictable. I won't let her be hurt like that again." Tenzin promised.

"If what she did to the city was from her finding her life…what'll she do if she finds out about those who took it away."

"She won't." Tenzin hoped.


	19. Book 3: Episode 1

**Book 3**

 _ **Episode 1: A BREATH OF FRESH AIR**_

For two weeks now Team Avatar, now including Yully, have been trying to put Republic City back in order. An especially grueling task for Korra was removing the spirit vines that had latched themselves all over Republic City. Similarly how Yully had latched herself to Korra, wanting to pair up with her for every job. Tenzin encouraged for them to bond, but two weeks of sarcasm and unrelenting questions were driving her insane.

But today was a particularly trying day when they got stuck on a set of stubborn vines unyielding in their grasp from an apartment building. Korra knew how the building felt.

"Hey Korra? Why not take all these down in the Avatar State?" Yully straddled the vine Korra was so determined to tear off the building.

"That's not what it's for." She clenched her teeth trying to energy-bend the smaller vines off the bigger one. But she couldn't even pry those off.

"Yeah but aren't you more powerful in the Avatar State?" Yully took a breath and bended the big vine down to the ground in a fluid motion.

Korra rolled her eyes. She had been working on that for ten minutes while she just sat there. Was she trying to slow down their progress in order to ask more questions? "Yeah but it's more for fighting not for taking down vines." She turned to another vine on the building. She learned the hard way that if you just ignore Yully she'd become even more annoying, hard as that may seem. Short simple answers seemed to satisfy her but the questions never stopped. It was like having a little sister that was older and stronger all in a pint size package.

Yully stood up and walked down the vine with her arms out for balance, "What exactly is the Avatar State?"

This other vine was stubborn as well, "It's when Raava and I work together at the same time." _Unlike some people around here._

"What's it like?" she jumped onto the other vine.

"I guess…its like being… in two worlds… at the same…time," Korra strained against the vine. This one didn't budge either.

Yully knelt down on the vine, petting it, "And what's it feel like?"

This vine didn't have any connection with her at all. It wasn't going to move no matter what. She sighed and sat down next to Yully on the vine, "Like nothing can touch you."

She waited for the next question but there was none. Korra glanced over at her to see if she'd fallen asleep again. Her eyes were closed but her hands twitched on the vine. Korra envied her far superior skill at mediatation.

Yully opened her eyes on an exhale and looked up and down the vine in a big head shake, "This ones really stubborn," she patted the vine, "I can't feel it."

Korra couldn't figure whether her oxymoron or just plain moronic way of speech was on purpose. They had come across a few of these vines and the only way to get them off was to pry or cut them off. She didn't like the idea of destroying spirit vines, but Yully was beyond a doubt certain that the vines were 'spiritually cut-off' then laughed for half a minute. Every time. Today alone was four and counting.

Before she had the chance to say that again Korra stood up to get the tools, "Comon we'll have to take it down manually."

Yully groaned laying back on the vine, "Shouldn't we get a man do to it then?"

Korra walked back over with a two-person cross-cut saw, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." She held the saw over Yully, who had to roll off the vine as Korra dropped it onto the vine.

"Comon put your back into it!" Korra grunted as they had barely gotten half way through in few minutes.

Yully was panting and sweating and groaned out, "I…am"

Korra gave the saw a last pull then let go. Yully pulled on the handle but it didn't move. She looked up at Korra who had her hands on her hips with a look of disbelief on her face. Despite the reality of it, Yully pulled on the handle again. She tried so hard to the point where her feet were pushing against the vine and still nothing. Her hands slipped from the sweat and she fell, too tired to move.

"Wow, that's impressive." Korra smirked at the exhausted Yully laying on the ground.

She managed to pant out, "What?"

Korra lugged the saw out of the vine to grab a one-person saw, "How weak you are."

She was able to make out a weak attempt at mockery from behind the vine, "How…weak you are…uuuuuhhhhhhh…Is it lunch…time yet?"

Air Temple Island had quite a lot of guests lately. Mako, Bolin, and Asami had moved in from Sato Manor in order to be closer to the vines. Asami was very stoic throughout the move. On top of that Bumi, Kya, Yully, and Korra plus the three kids and Tenzin made meal times a horror for Puma.

Bumi was going off on how he can air-bend while Meelo, Bolin, and Yully were having a contest on who could finish their food the fastest.

Bumi breaks plate, Yully breaks the silence with an impressive burp.

 **GOES TO FIND AIR-BENDERS**

 **TENZIN SAYS IT** **'S BETTER FOR YULLY TO BE ON THE MOVE**


	20. Book 3: Episode 2

_**Episode 2: REBIRTH**_

The reports were coming in from all over of mysterious air tornadoes and random wind currents. The majority of those reports were spread over the Earth Kingdom with couple of reports from the Fire Nation. Tenzin suggested that they split up to recruit more people so he and Yully went west to pick up the ones in the Fire Nation and to meet Korra and the others in the town, where there were numerous reports of different benders. But Korra had no luck with recruitment.

Ahead of schedule Tenzin's airship docked at the port, Korra assumed that they had similar luck. But out down the ramp came strolling Yully with all ten Fire Nation air-recruitments. Plus two from the Northern Water Tribe who had flow down to meet up with Yully in the Fire Nation.

Yully bounced down next to Korra with a wide grin, "So how'd you do?" the smile left with Korra who walked off mumbling to herself. Yully waved off Tenzin and Bumi to have them touch base with Lin and the others while she ran after Korra.

"Hey Korra! What's the matter?" she almost smacked into Korra when she abruptly stopped and turned towards Yully.

"How did you do that?" she wasn't really upset as she did get the recruitments. But every aspect of Yully was an enigma and Korra didn't like not knowing.

"Do what?"

Korra gestured back towards the group who were listening intently to Tenzin, "Recruiting them. What are you telling them to make them recruit with you?"

As usual, she shrugged, "I don't know, I just talked with them."

"Just talked with them? That's it?" _Why is everything so easy for her?_

"Yeah, what do you do?"

"I talked to them."

Yully's face lightened with clarity, "Ah see now there's your problem."

Korra wanted to pull her hair out, "Wha-What is? I literally just said the same thing you did!"

"Nooooo, you talk to them, I talk with them." She made it seem like the most obvious thing in the world.

"That-that doesn't make a difference!"

Yully nodded back to her recruited group of benders, "Apparently it does."

Korra wanted to pull Yully's hair out but instead shouted in frustration and stormed off. Yully, as always, followed.

Meandering through the village they came upon a square. In the square were a bunch of kids playing ball but instantly forgot about it as Korra and Yully stepped into view. The kids surrounded them freaking out.

"Oh my gosh! You're her!"

"Oh man I can't believe you're here!"

"Can I get your autograph Silver Phoenix?"

"Yeah me too! But can you sign it Silver Avatar?"

Yully looked blankly at the scraps of paper and pen that one of the kids grabbed from a nearby window, "The what and the what?"

But the kids just kept shouting out requests.

"Can you sign my arm?"

"Which name do you like better? Silver Avatar or Silver Phoenix?"

"Why phoenix?" she was able to ask over their pestering as they surrounded her.

"Cuz you died and came back to life!"

"Is that true? Did you really die?"

"Did you really come back to life?"

Yully tried to shoo back the kids, "Isn't phoenix a little too close to the Phoenix King?"

"Who's that?"

Yully rolled her eyes, feeling so old already, "And I'm not the Avatar." It was around this time that she noticed that Korra was not with her anymore but was sulking away down one of the alleys.

"But you're silver! Like your hair!"

"Living a second time!"

"And the second avatar, well being the first then going away then coming back to not be the Avatar Avatar!"

Yully squeezed past the kids, arms overhead out of reach from the pens, "I'm still getting used to Yue…" she shouted as she ran down the alley Korra disappeared down, leaving behind the blank papers and stares.

After rounding a few corners she had caught up with her.

"Korra?" she panted to staggering halt as Korra leaned against the alley wall.

She crossed her arms and looked away down the empty alley, "Sorry it's Avatar Korra. Not as cool as your names-"

"Oh comon Korra," she lightheartedly assured, "They're just kids messing around. Too much sugar in their diet if you ask me."

"They look up to you."

Yully joined her against the wall, "Barely, they're almost as tall as me."

"Uuhhhhhhaaa," Korra kicked off the wall and faced Yully, "Can't you not make a joke out of every thing I'm not okay with or not?"

Yully looked vacant, repeating the question in her head. At a loss, "I'mmm not sure? Say that again."

Korra articulated each syllable, "Are. You. Always. This. Difficult. To. Handle?"

Her face straightened into a serious-"I know I look deceivingly small but if I were taller I'd be the appropriate amount to handle for my height." Nope.

Korra flung her hands up then brought then down into fists, "OH MY GOD!" shouting as she took off down the alley.

With Yully right behind her, "Comon I'm just having some fun with ya."

"Do I look like I'm having fun?!" _She better not-_

"Well-"

Korra spun on her, "That was a rhetorical question!" taking a big long deep breath in, Korra slowly asked in the nicest way she knew how, "Can you please just recognize that I'm having a hard time with this so can you back off just a little?"

But Yully wasn't about to let her off easy. She'd had it easy her entire life and now that a real opportunity to rebuild the world was here, she wanted Yully to back off with helping her fix it, "A hard time? With what? Me?"

"Yes you! And this whole mess of things!"

"Oh I'm sorry," Yully began to tick off her fingers, "if I had known that my kidnapping, amnesia, life at the work house, arranged marriage, and overall existence of being a freak of nature was going to give you a hard time, I wouldn't have done any of that!

Korra looked her in her cold eyes zoning in on her fault, "Is it even possible for you to think about anyone besides yourself?"

Yully did a double-take, "What?!"

"I get it, you win!" she held out her open palms to Yully, "No one can compete with you messed up childhood. But that doesn't mean you can use it as an excuse all the time." Asami, Bolin, and Mako had all spoken to her about their conversations with Yully, "You think treating people the way you were treated is going to make you feel better? Hurting others because you got hurt? Or distancing yourself by making everything a joke or pushing people away and acting like nothing gets to you! You close yourself off to people by not letting them know you! It's like you want alone. And okay we didn't have it as bad as you but we still got hurt and felt alone and hopeless just like you so stop throwing our problems back in our faces when all we want to do is help you!"

"How can you possibly help me!" Yully snapped.

"In some way—any way because you need all the help you can get!"

"You don't even like me!"

Korra scoffed at the double-standard, "If you want people to like you, you have to start liking people!"

"You didn't like me from the moment you met me!"

"I didn't know who you were! I thought you were just trying to prove you were better than me."

"I am better than you!" Yully shouted

"Excuse me?"

"Did you have a brain fart or did you really forget how I bested you in the North Pole?"

"You only had the upper-hand because you used blood-bending. It was made illegal for a reason. And I seem to remember you were the one cowering in the snow." Korra glared down at her to provoke her to remember the feeling.

"You just can't admit I'm a better bender than you."

"You have your cheap shots," Korra looked her up and down, "And you can't admit that you're completely useless without your bending."

"I know how to fight!"

"You're a ninety pound bag of bones. You wouldn't stand a chance in a non-bending fight."

Yully had never backed down in a fight before; she rolled up her sleeves and got into a stance. Korra attacked first. It wasn't a long fight, if it was a fight. Yully was quick enough to dodge all of Korra's swings but Yully couldn't hit Korra hard enough for her to bruise. Korra did land a hit eventually when Yully slowing down from panting and wheezing too hard. The hit knocked Yully to the ground flat. Korra had expected a victory but not an applauds.

The kids from before were cheering and jumping out of the alleys they were hiding behind.

"That was awesome!"

"Can you show us some fire-bending moves?"

"No no air-bending! What's air-bending like?"

"Yeah what kind of attacks can you do with air-bending?"

Looking back at each other Korra and Yully got the same idea.

 **DOES SHOW FOR PEOPLE TO RECRUIT.**

 **RECRUITS KAI.**


	21. Book 3: Episode 3

**Episode 3: THE EARTH QUEEN**

 **GOES TO QUEENS PALACE, YULLY DOESN'T LIKE HER, WON'T HELP ON TAX RUN.**

"No way am I helping that rich old hag take money away from people who need it more," she kicked her feet up on the table leaning back in her chair.

Korra looked pleadingly at Mako and Bolin who sat eating their dinner, "Guys?"

Both of them shook their heads defiantly.

"Sorry Korra but we're with Yully on this one," Mako slurped down his stew broth while Bolin picked at his teeth, "Against our belief, stealing from the poor and giving to the rich."

Korra grumbled. _How else will I get an audience from the Queen?_ "We're not stealing."

"Kai did," Asami walked into the last bit of conversation. Everyone, except Mako, looked up at her surprised.

"All the money in the safe is gone." She dropped the cut lock onto the table with a clang.

Bolin inspected the lock carefully, "How'd he do this with air-bending?"

"He cut the lock genius," Mako got up to put his bowl in the sink, along the way flicking his spoon on Bolin's head.

Yully rocked back in her chair remembering her thieving days, "Haha he sure saw you broken hearts a mile away. See, if you did what I do with my money you'd still-"

"The money inside your shoes is gone too." Asami smirked as Yully jerked her head up, unbalancing the chair and tipped over.

"That little-" Yully mumbled getting to her feet. She swiped Bolin's bowl from his lips, tossing it in the sink while yanking Mako's collar backwards, "Comon guys lets get him!"

Apparently there was quite a lot of strange gusts of wind in the area so the trio had no problem tracking down Kai. They chased him in a run through the market and down a bunch of cross roads.

Yully was slowing down in the first few minutes of the chase, "You… get em guys…I believe in you…" she lost sight of them in the crowd and put her hands on her knees, "UUggghhhh…I need to start working out." Just as she was about to start up again when she was knocked over by a distracted pedestrian. The kid clumsily got off of her, "Sorry buddy I-" Yully looked up to see it was Kai sitting on her, "Oh it's you. You sure don't look like a girl sometimes." Then air-bended himself off of her and continued the chase.

"Why you little-" she clawed at the dirt trying to get up while yelling behind her, "Mako, Bolin he's this way!"

They quickly caught up with her as Kai ran onto the train station. Spotting him hiding in the passenger car, the three of them darted onto the train just as the doors closed.

They looked for Kai, Bolin finding him first, "There he is!" out on the train platform, "Off of the train. He's off the train and he's waving at us!"

"Man…" Mako knew not to trust him but this kid was sneaky, "We'll look for him when we get back from where ever this goes. How much money you-" he patted down his jacket, "my wallet!"

Bolin checked his pants before shaking his head, "Took mine too."

Yully smirked at how silly they were to put their wallets in easy accessible places a thief like Kai could snatch, "Lucky for you guys, I keep mine-" she patted at her chest then stared down her jacket, "what?"

Looking out the window Kai stood on the platform waving back with two wallets and a wad of cash in his hand.

Yully fumed against the window, "Why that little-"

"Can't blame the kid on that one. It probably fell out cuz there wasn't anything there to hold it." Mako ignored the steam coming from her nostrils and sat down thinking of a way to get back from where ever they were going.

 **THE NEXT DAY**

Waking up in the streets was something neither of them at thought they'd have to do every again. Emerging from the banana peels and newspapers Bolin shook the dirt from his hair, "One day we were the fierce fire ferrets, now we're right back in the streets."

"It was one night…Bobo the Hobo. That can be your nickname." Yully bend her back in a way that cracked every vertebrae making her shiver.

"No, but how'd you do that? Can you do mine?" Twisting his arms around his back, Bolin looked like a baboon.

"Later guys, we need to get out of here." Mako brushed a mango peel from his scarf.

Both Yully and Bolin moaned, "Ah what no breakfast?" inspecting the mango peel Bolin found there was still a bit of meat on it.

"Unless your zero yuan turned into 20 last night then no."

Bolin tossed the peel but wasn't undeterred, "We can do the ol' bash and dash."

"What's a bash and dash?" Yully tied her hair up in a bun to stop the flies from following her with whatever got in her hair.

"Bolin this is the poor district. No way we're stealing from the poor."

"They're richer than us." The fruit stands were looking succulent, as he passed tugging on his sleeve.

They were in as Mako got a glimpse of the melons and apples. He pulled them into an alley to work on the game plan as he and Bolin had done as kids. One of them bumps into the stall and helps the owner pick up the fruit from one side as the other takes what they can grab on the other side. Now it was just deciding who'd go distract the chosen vendor.

"Wait wait wait," Bolin whispered excitedly, "maybe we can distract him longer than bumping into his stall so we can get more."

"How?" she knew the guy would have trouble getting around his three sided stale to catch any of them.

Bolin wiggled his fingers around Yully's head like a surprise, "Ta-da!"

But there was no reveal Mako could see, "Okay you're gonna have to walk me through this one."

"Yully, you go distract him and we'll get the food."

"Why me?" she groaned.

Bolin raised his eyebrows and smiled, "You'll get his attention better."

"How and why again?"

"By doing the thing that girls are so good at to distracting guys."

Without hesitation she looked up at him confused, "Corrupt his emotional stability and have him question his sanity?"

The truth hurt, but that wasn't to stand between him and breakfast. Bolin patted her shoulders, "Yeeahhh but for right now let's just call it flirting."

"But I don't know how to flirt!" A smile flashed in her eyes, "It'll be a fruitless attempt!"

"Don't worry it's hard-wired in there," he spun her around and pushed her toward the stall, "Just start talking and it'll kick in!"

She grimaced and turned back around, "Uuugh can't Mako do it? He's prettier."

She was then promptly kicked out into the main street. _Inconspicuous_ , she reminded herself, _just a girl talking to a guy, while other guys steal this guys food, for us, no flirt no food._

Taking a deep breath, she harnessed every tactic she'd seen girls try on Benji when they used to work the strawberry stall in Republic City. She opened her eyes as wide as she could and pushed her hip out as she walked.

"Ohhh she's gonna crash and burn." Mako shook his head as Bolin cringed as she pretended to drop something and pick it up, almost tripping herself.

Making sure she was on the opposite side of the stand Yully turned on the charm in a high pitched whiny and nasally voice, "Achem, Hi uh I'm new here and I seem to have gotten myself lost," _overly bat eyelashes_ , "I'm helpless when it comes to directions," _sound pathetic_ , "I could really use your help Mr…?"

He didn't glance over but said in a stern bored voice, "Get lost."

 _Laugh at his jokes_. She laughed obnoxiously then held out her thumb and index finger out so they almost touched, "Ah you see that's my little problem, I already am lost Mr…?"

Again he was curt, "Beat it."

 _Smile and compliment_ , she beamed at him, "Mr. Beetit that's a unique name!" _lean towards him_ , "Does it mean handsome and strong?"

He glared out of the corner of his eye, "It means no handouts, not loitering, and no begging," then he shooed her away, "Now move it grandma."

That done it, she straighten her back with her hands on her hips, shrieking, "Grandma, who you calling grandma?!"

The vendor crossed his arms and smirked, "Oh I'm sorry great-grandma?"

Her little wily arms knocked some fruit out of her away so she could yell into his face, "What kind of customer service is this, you rude ungrateful…"

Right around the corner the brothers stood awe-stuck at how badly and quickly their plan unraveled, "Yeah. Great idea sending Yully in there," he shouldered Bolin to knock him out of the trance. It was like watching an explosion it was so awful.

Bolin couldn't look away, "Was that working for you at all?"

"Nooooooope." Mako said through most of his question.

"Yeeeahh…" Bolin eyed the fit vendor then Mako's slim figure, "you probably would've done better."

Mako frowned and smacked Bolin upside the head, "Comon he's distracted anyway," as they hustled forward.

The vendor threatened Yully with a fist, "Look I don't want to hurt an old lady!"

She held up her small fist unmoved, "I'll hurt you so bad you'll be a grandpa when you recover!"

"This is my food stall and I have the right to refuse service to anyone!"

"Food stall? More like a bandage over festering rotten fruit!" she grabbed a plump mango and tossed it to the other side of the stall.

The vendor smirked, "At least I actually have melons!"

"You have the smallest bananas I've ever seen!" she glowered back at him.

No one disrespects a man's fruit, "I grew all this fruit myself with tender loving care!"

"Well your attention to them isn't very good!" she mocked in her whiny high pitched voice.

"Why not?!"

"You're being robbed!" She pointed at the wide-eyed Mako and Bolin with their hands full of bananas, apples, and mangoes.

There was a moment of still terror and realization of what was about to happen. At the drop of a 'Ooops' behind him the vendor leapt over the stall onto the squealing brothers.

"Hey!" Bolin was able to get out between a foot or an arm on his face, "Yully! Help!"

Leaning against the stall slicing up a mango, Yully was barely aware of the occurring scuffle, "Mmmmmm. These actually aren't too bad," she nodded towards the grappling vendor, "my compliments."

"Yully!" Mako yelled from his face in the dirt.

Putting her hand to her ear she shouted, "What? Sorry I can't hear because I'm an old lady," then waved them off, "You fire ferrets can handle this."

At that the vendor froze, looking more closely at his captives, "Fire Ferrets? You guys are the fire ferrets?"

Mako blinked away the dust, "Yeah?"

While Bolin struggled underneath the vendors foot, "If you promise not to squish us, we can give you an autograph."

The vendor gasped and scooped the brothers up in his arms, "I can't believe it's you!"

Either this was a really good thing or a really bad thing, "Umph, big fan huh?" Mako murmurer into the vendors chest.

Bolin wasn't sure which suffocation he preferred, "A little less love would be nice too."

The vendor set them down, arms still opened and chuckled, "Bolin, Mako, I'm your cousin Tu."

The home was filled with their family. How had they lived this long without knowing about them? There were so many of them. After a long list of cousins, aunts, and uncles introductions, they all swarmed around Mako and Bolin in one giant hug. After the cheek pinching and hair ruffling had subsided Bolin noticed a small smiling face hiding in the corner that hadn't been introduced yet. He pulled her through the crowd to his grandmother, "And this is our friend, Yully. Well Yue the…"

Their cousin Tu gaped at her now clean hair, "Yue? The Silver Avatar? The Silver Phoenix?" he stuttered.

"The old lady?" she reminded him. He mumbled something before fainting backwards into the crowd sending out a wave of laughter.

Grandmother Yin's shoulders bounced up and down as she chuckled, "Nice to meet you dear." Her hands clasped Yully's outstretched hands while Yully formally bowed her head, "It's an honor to meet you and please forgive my intrusion during this family reunion." This made the family roar with laughter again making Yully bashfully retract her hands, but Grandma Yin held on and patted Yully's face, "The more the merrier dear," then thumbed through her loose ponytail, "Is this your natural hair color?"

She grinned behind stray hairs, "Yes it is. Kinda a family trait."

Grandma Yin returned to patting Yully's hands, "Between you and me dear you should consider dying it a more natural color. You look just as old as I am."

Fortunately most of the family had begun to talk among themselves that they hadn't heard that. Unfortunately the ones that did hear it, Mako and Bolin, will never forget it.

"So good to meet you!" Yully's hand shake went limp with her forced smile.

The rest of the day was spent eating, laughing, talking, and more eating. Yully helped in the kitchen, serving and collecting plates then washing them, observing with a permanent smile. It was so different from her family reunion. It wasn't until the train ride home that she spoke to either of the brothers again.

Their family had somehow gotten them passports back to the inner ring and after a bittersweet farewell the three of them sat astounded in their own silence.

"Whoa…" Bolin rocked back and forth in his seat, "this is so-who would've thought…our family!" he clung onto and shook Mako's arm, "I can't believe it…our family Mako!" his feet tapped excitedly.

Prying his arm out of Bolin's grasp Mako closed his eyes and cleared his throat, "Yeah…Achem. Now uh I think that when we get back to-"

"Hey Bolin," Yully leaned over Mako, his focus gone, "did you get that recipe for the spicy stew your grams made?" Her eyes rolled to the back of her head just thinking about it.

The pout on his face turned hopeful, "No but I bet I can make it again!"

She looked optimistic, "I hope so, you ate five bowls worth."

"Like you can talk," he rubbed his full belly, "you had six slices of that warm…garlicky…buttery bread," his belly miraculously growled.

Sitting sideways in her seat she looked out the window at the passing houses. "We'll have to go back soon and so she can show us how to made it."

"Yeah can we Mako, can we?" He would have been wagging his tail if he had one, he was so happy and shamelessly excited.

Mako couldn't help but smile, "Yeah of course."

Punching the air in victory Bolin smiled, "Awesome, so awesome," then sunk into his bliss and floated there.

Out from the corner of his eye Mako saw Yully smiling softly at him. Admitting defeat, Mako let his mind drift back to that warm feeling only family can make in his heart.

 **At Queen's Palace, they are about to leave, Lin asks to speak with Tenzin in private. Tells everyone that 'bandits' are after Korra.**


	22. Book 3: Episode 4

**Episode 4: IN HARMS WAY**

 **Getting air-benders trapped underneath Queens' palace. Asami/Lin in airship.**

"Where are they?" Korra looked around, counting more than a dozen passageway offshoots. Standing firm, Yully stomped the ground with her foot sending out a seismic shock, "I sense two clusters of them…" she pointed with her hands the respective tunnels, "and one all by himself."

"That's Kai!" Jinora made a dash for the tunnel extending out from Yully's finger but Tenzin held her back.

"Alright we'll split up. Yully, you and Bumi go that way. Jinora, Mako, Bolin you get Kai. Korra and I will go this way and we'll meet back on the surface. Radio if anything goes wrong." He watched Jinora disappear down the tunnel before following Korra.

Making it to the door Yully knocked out the guards while Bumi made his grand entrance, "Wakey wakey!" with Yully chiming in, "Time for a prison breaky!"

"Hey that was pretty good."

"Thank you. Comon guys, is anyone hurt?" She looked around for more guards while helping the benders to their feet.

A young air-bender in glasses jumped down from his cot, "No, we're-behind you!" he squealed as Bumi threw the advancing guards on the floor.

Keeping a pressure of air on them Bumi held them down as the air-benders ran past, "Alright let's go. They're coming out of the walls."

As they scurried down the tunnel more and more guards were surrounding them, "Feels like another whole patrol is coming!" Yully yelled over the persisting earth tremors. The corridors puffed out more and more guards that the ceiling started to buckle. Erupting out of nowhere walls were separating the benders one by one.

"Great!" Bumi diverted a collapsing ceiling into some guards, "Why does she have so many?"

The quivering glasses air-bender managed to stick with them, "To protect us. She split us up-lots of guards-so the Red Lotus couldn't get us!"

Although there were quakes and blasts of air all around her, the air-benders were being cornered, the others too no doubt, she couldn't think of anything but the inexplicable taste of iron in her mouth. Yully's mind went blank, her eyes glazed over with memories and for a moment she was the ghost of herself.

"What?" all of a sudden it was claustrophobic in the tunnels, the rumble of the earth was amplified, and the air was thick and heavy.

Bumi stepped in-between them, "Alright enough chit chat folks let's get a move on!" but she swept him aside.

"What," she stalked toward him, "red," like a predator honed in, "lotus?" on the weakest prey. She grabbed the bender and pulled him down to her eye level, "WHO?"

"Zaheer—Pi'lee and two others!" he coughed into the stinging dust cloud, the room was shrinking.

Her fist held an unyielding grip but her head began to waver, "Zaheer?

Bumi pushed down the dust making the room uncomfortably clear on how little time they had, "Yully please we have to go-" he urged.

She locked in on the approaching threat, "Zaheer?! Did you know?"

"Yully," he held up his hands and spoke cautiously, "it was decided—we—we thought it best that—"

"WE?" she dropped the squirming bender, they were all horrified but for completely different reasons, "Tenzin knew? Korra knew?!"

The walls stopped enclosing around them because they cracked into little pieces and blew outward in all directions.

 **Elsewhere**

They were being forced into a corner. Only a few of the benders managed to stay with the group, most got caught behind a wall.

"We need to get out! There's too many of them!" Korra felt an enormous split somewhere in the earth. _More guards_ _…at this rate they'd all be captured._

"The others aren't back yet." Tenzin blasted past the guards, regrouping a few stragglers.

On cue one of the side walls burst open, flooding the room with a dust storm. Then the gust was sucked back out when the walls began to fall in succession as a stampede of guards and air-benders alike ran past. More walls fell down creating a vast cave with all the guards and benders running for their life. Tenzin was plowed into by a familiar face, "Run for it!" Bumi howled at Tenzin and the others.

"Bumi what is it? Where's Yully?" Tenzin grabbed Bumi in retreat by the arm. He shot a trembling arm down the tunnel, "The answer to both your questions is that!"

They couldn't believe it although it was coming right at them. It was a cave-in, a fiery explosion, an ice storm, and a tornado; all in one. The end of the tunnel was advancing towards them in a churning fury of the elements. They benders hastily joined the evacuation. Some of the guards held onto their sense of duty and stood their ground to fight. They should have had their sense of flight as they were engulfed by the cloud. The guards that did abandoned their duty escaped without hesitation down any tunnel. Korra and Bolin put up as many walls as they could to get more distance between them and the storm but it was growing louder still. Emerging onto the surface was a rebirth of life. But salvation was still a thousand feet above them. They had forgotten to radio Asami and Lin in the chaos. The ground beneath them was cracking. Tenzin blew on the air-bison whistle his father had given to him and Oogi soared down from the ship. But everyone's attention was on the Earth Kingdom Palace. Groaning in distress, the behemoth palace began to sway and twist. Then a part of it collapsed, another was on fire, a part was frozen, and the rest was blown up into the air.

The raining bits of the palace flew past the weighted down Oogi as Tenzin maneuvered them toward the oncoming airship. Lin had seen it from above. It started near the entrance of the palace, in the courtyard, where a dust cloud rose from the pulverized stones. Then like a seismic wave, it grew outward from that spot, smashing the courtyards' stone, and cracking the walls of the palace. Then a fire erupted along the grand hallway, countless ice spikes shattered all the windows and pierced the walls in the dining hall, and nearly the entire roof imploded. The inside of the palace was in a whirl storm disaster. But from above all they could see was the smoke and clouds of dirt. The muffled death of the nation's pride.

The last trip of air-benders made it atop the airship when there were no more walls to crumble. Only the spreading fire could be seen through the grainy black smoke. As Tenzin herded the nervous benders inside, Korra took Oogi down for one last trip. Flying low she dodged twisted metal and earth that was frozen, scorched, or blown into jagged pieces. Where the center of the courtyard would have been was a circle of bare earth then a smaller concentric circle of white ash.

And sitting within that pit of ash, "Yully?" Korra jumped off of Oogi and hesitantly stood on the rich brown dirt before the ash. Yully was silent besides her labored breathing swirling the floating ash. Korra could see her breath but wasn't sure if it was steam or condensation.

Hands pressed against her temples, her fingers dug through her hair, Yully wept, "I want to kidnap you! Use you as bait! I want to use all of you as bait. I want Zaheer!" she shrieked pounding her fists into the ash pile. Little clouds of ash puffed up as she rocked back and forth hugging her knees, "I want to kill him. I'd give you all to him. I want to…I want to do it…I want to kill him." She looked up at Korra, "Am I a bad person?" Her dark eyes were not so much of a void but an entrancing blackness that had no end to their depth.

Korra couldn't answer that, she couldn't look at her. There were no words to console her. So instead she stepped into the ash and pulled Yully to her feet. She was a lot lighter than she expected, "We need to go." She wrapped Yully's arm around her shoulder. Yully made no effort, hanging limply and silently as Korra half dragged half pulled her onto Oogi.

 **LATER AND ELSEWHERE**

It was a dark unsettling quiet night over the sea. No one was pursuing them but the air was taut. Everyone was anxious to whether it would snap. Lin shifted uncomfortably on the stair as Tenzin opened the door, "How's she doing?" he whispered.

"Hasn't moved in hours. I sent out a report saying that the Red Lotus attacked the palace," not seeing the destruction up close only left her to imagine how berserk that girl went. She had thought the air-benders were shook up from the imprisonment but Tenzin…the most level headed reliable man she knew…had looked horrified.

Now he looked tired and torn, "I need to take the air-benders to the temple. Reverse whatever they were taught there. Do you think its too late?"

Lin knew Tenzin had always been sensitive which is why she had to be strong for both of them, even now, "For them, no."

 _Why'd she have to be so blunt?_ Tenzin knew it was true but he didn't want to accept it yet.

"Go," Lin stood up and grasped his shoulder, "I'll look after her." Reassuring with an impossible task was what she did best.

He believed her, "I think that's all we can do for her. But leave her be for now. She deserves some privacy."

Before Lin could object he placed his hand on her back and pushed her through the door.

But Yully didn't need privacy, she was all alone in the world already. Her swollen eyes gazed out into the vastness of the moonless night. She tried to mediate and clear her mind but no matter how calm and slow her breathing was, tears and snot dripped down her face. Her jacket sleeves and neckline were sodden and her body ached everywhere. Thoughts and accusations bombarded her, screaming at her. So she screamed back. A long wavering scream. Then a deep inhale through the nose. Then screamed again. After a few breaths, she was too exhausted to yell, to feel angry, to feel…anything. But the tears were still there. She couldn't accept that. Instead she weakly got up and walked to the edge of the observation deck, under the railing and to the threshold of space. Her toes clenched around the edge of the airship. Calmly she disrobed down to her underthings and fell.

During her training in the eastern desert she had learned to adjust her body temperature to the acclimate to the weather. Breathing with the waves she couldn't feel the cold water; it flowed over her face, washing away her tears as they came. As if they were never there. Floating there her mind quieted with the abyss above and the abyss below her. She hovered there in-between the two. She could be in one or the other but this was the closest to being in both at once.


	23. Book 3: Episode 5

**Episode 5: THE METAL CLAN**

 **NEXT MORNING, YULLY ACTS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED**

 **ENTER METAL CLAN**

Aiwei led them into a gorgeous shiny chamber where there must have been a dozen metal-benders swinging around the room. In the center of the room was a grand metal lotus flower that seemed to be swaying in an invisible wind.

"Is that some sort of combat training?" Korra asked as they stopped to admire their graceful movements.

"No, they're rehearsing for an upcoming dance." He himself didn't partake in the festivities as his skills were-

An ecstatic clapping jolted the group from their trance as well as some of the performers as their wires tangled and they fell out of balance. Now it was the performers staring at the group, particularly at the small silver haired girl who actually looked disappointed.

"Usually applauds is held until the end of the performance," Aiwei had heard many rumors of the Silver Avatar. That she was in the Northern Tribe, or one of the Air Temples, and even one that claimed she was holed up in a hideout house deep in the Fire Nation. His sources were never so contradictory.

And now she was here raising an eyebrow, "But they were doing it wrong."

He had many questions so before this went any farther he had to clear up this matter first. He wasn't going to allow anyone he couldn't figure into the city, "I apologize for the bluntness, but are you not the Silver Avatar?"

"No," she said although it sounded more like a question.

"Yully…" Korra hated that nickname but it seemed like she couldn't escape it.

"What? I am this 'Silver Avatar' so I am not not the Silver-" she tried to explain.

But Aiwei had enough of this banter, "Who are you?"

Without hesitation Yully shrugged, "Me," in a matter of fact way.

"Yes, you," he asked irritably.

She looked blankly at him for a moment, "I don't understand the question."

Aiwei didn't know if she was messing with him or not but judging by her friends' groans she usually was this uncooperative.

"Dance is more than following a routine," an older yet fit performer walked up to them, "You need concentration and you need to feel the dance. And ignore any distractions that might come up." She smiled from the corner of her mouth at Yully, who was far more interested in the curtains, "But rehearsals are best done in quiet."

When Yully reached out to fiddle with the curtain Korra elbowed Yully in the side, "Yeah Yully why don't you start on that now. Be quiet."

To which Yully rolled her eyes while they began the tour and introductions. When they were caught lying about Lin they had to endure another lecture. Being reprimanded by not one but two Beifong woman was not the warmest of welcomes but was pleasant enough to make par. Then they met Suyin's children. The eldest was very idealist while the twins were charming enough. But when they got to the second eldest…

"And this is Huan," Suyin gestured to a courtyard of statues. Then one of them moved with a bored, "Hey."

This type of rude welcome was one Korra was still not used to but learned from previous mistakes. She tried to sound impressed by the warped metal statues, "Wow this is…quite a collection. Do you all have a recreational thing you do?"

She directed the question to Suyin but Huan spun around with passion, "Art is not a thing! It is a way of life…" he attention drifted back to his work.

"Sure sure," Bolin had played this game when he was little with his water-bending friend; he'd make a cloud into a shape and Bolin had to guess what it was, "Love what you're working on now, its a very nice…banana, very lifelike."

And again Huan threw up his hands, "It's not a banana! Its inspired by the harmonic convergence. It represents a dawning of a new age. Obviously," he rolled his eyes until he saw something that caught his eye.

"Oh yeah yeah totally see that now…it's a banana," Bolin whispered to Asami as Suyin toured them onto a walkway towards a garden of sorts.

Bringing up the rear was Mako slapping Yully's hand off of one of the statues. Dancing without the heart and this bizarre clutter of metal was not what she was expecting from the infamously intelligence of Zaofu.

"There's a thing of excess leisure right?" She rubbed her hand as she walked besides Mako.

And out of nowhere appeared a smoldering Huan, "The only thing I see in excess here is your beauty."

The others had been out of ear reach but Mako had to turn away to keep from bursting out with laughter. Yully's dumb-struck face at Huan's love-struck face was too much.

"Uuuhhhh…" was her only response.

But Huan continued, taking a step closer, "Forgive my staring but like the moon herself you're alluring me with your gravitating presence."

Her feet couldn't move so she leaned away from his unnerving leer, "Uuuhhh…"

"Please," his finger hovered over her lips, "let me preserve this moment!" he skirted away to get a pile of metal sheets as he continued his soliloquy, "The youth of your face, the wisdom of your hair. You are the quintessential symbol of the beautiful agony it is to be alive. Never in my existence have I ever had a muse like you. Are you comfortable with a natural portrait?"

He turned to face an empty courtyard.

 **MEANWHILE**

Suyin was leading the group up to the gardens, "After we meet Opal we'll eat. Are you hungry?"

"Always!" Bolin answered for them all.

"Great! My chef will knock your taste buds off. He makes a special cuisine from his village deep in the mountains. They even have their own language!" She was proud of everything in her city so she made sure she provided the best for them.

"That sounds exotic!" Asami glanced over at Korra. They had had plenty of Yully's cooking. Not that it wasn't good, it was but it made her efforts in cooking pale, shrivel up and burn compared to Yully's skill. Then Asami glanced back at Yully but spotted her running up the trail towards them swatting a giggling Mako. She wondered-

But they had reached the gardens and Suyin introduced her daughter, "Ah and this is Opal."

 **LATER**

The dining hall was just as spectacular as the rest of the city. The table alone was a great U-shape to accommodate the guests. The head of the table, Suyin, was sided by the guests of honor, Korra and Lin. And somehow with all the people present Yully was seated between Huan and Wing. She had asked to be sat in-between the twins but Huan swooped in and stole Wei's chair.

And for the whole minute of dinner so far he hadn't taken his eyes off of her, "I don't know how you do it, but when I look at you I find myself and lose myself at the same time," he swooned.

 _Manners_ ; she forced a smile. Then leaning over to Wing, she whispered through her clenched jaw smile, "And how do I lose him?"

Wing's eyes widen with horror, "I've been asking myself that for 16 years."

The kitchen door swung open with servants loaded with trays surrounded the table with an older dark skinned man standing in the center of the U-table.

"This is our amazing Chef Raol," Suyin introduced the Chef as he bowed, initiating the beginning of the meal.

There were moans of delight all around the table. Bolin's was the loudest, "Wow, this is awesome! I could eat this everyday! What is it?" he asked the Chef. But the Chef remained grinning politely.

Suyin reluctantly set down her food to explain, "Apologizes, but he's still learning our language. Don't even ask how long it took me to hire him. But one of the other chefs is teaching us the language."

Perking up from the other side of the room was an indistinguishable language from a familiar voice, "Are you from the Kona Cliffs?" Yully knew that smell wafting from the kitchen but she could hardly believe that a Konan Chef would actually be here.

The Chef was so happy to speak to someone else besides his kitchen staff that he walked right up to the table and bowed to Yully, "Yes I am. I'm Raol. Are you from Kona?"

Yully stood up and bowed lower, "I'm Yully, I'm from-I'm not from Kona but I've visited the Springs of Rejuvenation with Fashang who lives there."

"Ah well I see it worked wonders for your skin, you look 50 years younger!" Raol's deep laugh was accompanied with Yully's surprisingly full bodied laugh while the rest of the dinner party wondered what was happening.

Raol shook his head and hands, "No no I'm joking of course. I'm friends with Fashang's son."

Yully smiled, "What a small world!"

"Say I just got a shipment of mangoes from the blue cliffs. Would you like one?" Raol gestured enthusiastically towards the kitchen.

"I'd be honored." Yully bowed with her hands to her heart. She took a step towards the kitchen then paused, suspiciously eying Raol, "How do you carve it?"

He playfully looked smug, "Lotus."

"Sun." Yully squealed as Raol motioned for her to follow. She ran around the table before halting to bow towards Suyin, "Oh please excuse me it's been years since I carved a sun from the blue cliffs!" she quickly confused them more in English before diving into the kitchen. The door swung back once with her poking her head out, "Oh and go easy on the green stuff, it's hot!" Then disappeared again.

Her conversation left everyone confused except for Bolin who was scrapping a layer of green paste off his tongue.

Suyin rested her chin on her hand staring at the kitchen door, "Well I must say the Silver Phoenix is living up to her reputation so far. She is certainly surprising." She said thoughtfully as she resumed her meal.

Korra shook her head, "So much so it's not surprising."

Everyone else followed suit besides Huan. He gazed after Yully completely smitten, "I think I'm in love."


	24. Book 3: Episode 6

**Episode 6: OLD WOUNDS**

After breakfast the next morning everyone was scattering about doing their own thing. Asami and Varrick were off looking at some metal ore Bartar Jr was working on. Korra was talking excitedly with Suyin while Opal was trying to make small talk with Lin. The twins were romping around in the courtyard outside playing catch with Bolin in the middle desperately trying to bend at the metal disk. And Yully was helping Raol in the kitchen planning the meals for the next few days before Huan came in searching for her. She ducked behind a counter and crawled out to the dining hall.

Suyin was just finishing her plate, "Alright let's get going, time to practice your metal-bending." She gave Korra a clap on the back and started to head out to the courtyard.

"What about you Yully?" Wing called from the windowsill, "Wanna put your metal-bending skills to the test!"

Getting to her feet Yully made sure she had a view of the kitchen, "How? By a choreographed dance and bending a metal flower?"

Wei appeared in another windowsill, "No for combat!"

"How would a flower be useful in combat?" she wondered.

Wei cocked his head to the side, "Well it wouldn't-"

"Will you spar with us?" Wing asked abruptly.

"Naw thanks, I've got that flower power down." She ducked down the hall as Huan was about to walk back in, "Have fun!" she called out behind her.

A third head poked through another windowsill, "I can spar with you!" Bolin exclaimed.

After already knowing his level of skill Wei cringed out a smile, "Great…"

 **KORRA TRAINS IN METAL**

 **LIN IS GRUMPY**

 **ELSEWHERE**

He'd always loved sunbathing, it was like being absorbed by light. And with all the metal sheets laying around he had fashioned himself an light reflecting circle directed towards him. He felt like a sun god bathing in light and energy itself.

"Hey Mako?" Yully covered her eyes from the incredibly blinding light radiating from the beams, "whacha doing?"

He breathed in the light, "You're looking at it. It's metal-bending central here and everyone has something to do. And I'm doing this. Nothing; gonna have a long nice quiet relaxing-"

"Will you teach me how to bend lightning?" She yelled into the overwhelming light.

This made Mako sit up from his reclining chair, "You can't?"

"No. Can you teach me?" Even with her eyes shut it was like staring into the sun.

"But we're surrounded by metal."

He glanced around at the metal sheets before a low rumble made all of the sheets fall outward simultaneously. He felt his bath of light turn cold as Yully rubbed her eyes from either the light or seeing him in just his shorts.

"So let's get unsurrounded. Comon Plleeeeaaassseee?"

Mako sighed and pulled on his clothes.

A small mountain separated them and Zaofu. It was a quiet valley with nothing but short grass with clusters of small white flowers sprinkled here and there. They had warmed up with some fire bending sparring which Mako ended up singeing her jacket when she threw a wave of fire at him and he burnt his shoe trying to jump over it. Now they both sparred barefoot and Yully had rolled up her sleeves, "Are we gonna light some stuff up or what?" she bounced from foot to foot.

He rolled his eyes, fire-benders were so twitchy when they wanted to learn how to bend lightning. He was the only fire-bender who could bend lightning during his Fire Ferret days so he never got to spar with one before. Only ever with his teacher, so he started where his teacher did, "Okay lets start off with the original fire-bending steps. Follow my movements."

She gracefully mirrored him, "What are theses steps?"

"Its an ancient fire-bending ritual to call on the power of the original fire-bending masters, dragons."

"Cool, do they have a name?"

He sighed through his breath as he murmured, "The dancing dragon."

Yully paused mid-pose, "Seriously? So I'm doing a choreographed dance anyway?"

 **LATER ON**

It was almost noon when Mako was pleased with her breathing, stance, and control, "Okay I think you're ready."

"You sure?" She cracked her knuckles.

"Yeah but you need more confidence then sure. You need to know you can." He hadn't known her to doubt herself often. He stood back and talked her through it again as she followed the steps, "Alright, feel the electricity in the air around you," he watched her fluid arms dipping up and down with her two fingers extended, "connecting with the energy in yourself through your fingers to the energy in the air, then…" he hadn't the chance to tell her to separate the positive and negative energies because she collapsed.

It took Mako a good five seconds to realize she'd fainted; he'd never seen that happen before. Explosions, fires, one kid's hair stood up on end for a whole day, but never fainting. He knelt beside her to turn her over onto her back but was shocked with a little spark of electricity. He shook his hand then flipped her over, slapping her face.

Finally her eyes began to flutter and she sat up on her forearms, "What happened?"

He fetched the water canister from her pack, "You couldn't hold the charge and passed out. Never saw that before. I think you needed to draw the electric current to your stomach more." He demonstrated by swinging his arm out, bringing to his stomach, then out again.

Yully wiped the dripping water off her chin, "I did…it just…I felt the current shoot up to my chest…to my heart," she closed her eyes as she rubbed her chest painfully.

He noticed her breath was shallow and her hand with the canister was shaking, "Maybe we should call it a day. You don't want to over do it on your first day, we'll try again tomorrow."

"I don't think it matters," she pouted bitterly.

"Why not?"

"I always pass out."

Mako took the empty canister, "You've done this before?"

"I've tried before," she corrected.

"Doesn't mean you'll never be able to."

"No I…" her gaze searched over the mountains, "I don't think I will." Her gaze dropped to the ground, "I think…I think because my hearts stopped before and was restarted with lightning that…that it can't take that kind of electric power anymore. It's too weak." She finally said it aloud. She thought with a teacher it might have been different, but she was wrong.

Mako fell backwards to sit, "That doesn't mean you are." And when she kept staring at the ground he added, "And even if Korra can't admit it, she can't do some of the bending tricks you've got," trying to sound optimistic.

But she curled her feet under her and began to pick the small white flowers, "And I can't do the Avatar tricks she's got."

"You need to get over that."

"I am…" she nodded slightly, "it's just…because I can't be the Avatar I want to be able to…" it sounded a lot sillier saying out loud than it did in her head.

"To beat her?"

"No," she fretted, "to…to protect her." She waited for him to laugh and when he didn't she glanced over to him. He wasn't amused in the slighted but was intently listening her every word. She continued to fidget with her pile of flowers, "Last month…with Unalaq…we almost lost her. And not just Raava but her. She was so broken, thinking she was useless…that can't happen again. And I won't let the Red Lotus take her away."

They were silent for a moment before Mako dared, "Like they did to you?"

She stretched out her fingers. A small white flower wrapped around each of her lightning directive fingers, as if they were rings, "I won't let what happened to me happen to her or anyone else." _I_ _'m too much trouble as is…_

But Mako wasn't going to give up that easily, "Hey, let me try something," he crossed his legs and held out his hands, "Give me your hands."

"Why?" she looked skeptically at his wiggling fingers.

"Its a very basic step of bending lightning. It'll test if your heart can stand the electrical current," he waited until she placed her hands over his outstretched hands, " Okay just tell me if you start to feel faint."

"Holding your hands, I think I already am."

"Stop. Ready?" when she briskly nodded he closed his eyes and breathed. He felt her pulse through her wrist and then her electric current. The brain and heart runs off of electric current so to test their electrical capacity he created an electric current between their hands. He was connecting his energy to hers to see if her system could sustain it. The connection was pretty strong so he increased the amount of energy. But a second after he did, she began to waver. He severed their connection and grabbed her hands to keep her from falling backwards, "You okay?"

She hung her head between her arms, "I'm dizzy," she took a few deep breaths, running her hands through her hair, "So how close was that to real lightning power?"

She looked so hopeful Mako could only wince.

Nodding, she understood, "Huh okay well that settles that."

He shrugged, "I don't think Korra would've liked the idea of a bodyguard anyway."

She stared blankly at him for a second before breaking into a smile, "Haha yeah…probably not."

 **LATER**

So instead of bending lightning they spent the afternoon with yoga mediation. Yully actually did the yoga and Mako meditated in a deep sleep. It didn't last long though as a loud whining truck crawled its way over the mountainside. Mako rolled over and pulled his jacket over his face. He wasn't going to have an hour to himself this trip.

The truck jerked to a halt and the guard handed a small scroll over to Yully, "For you Ms. Yully from Master Huan." Then gunned the engine to get as much momentum possible to send him crawling up the hill again. But Yully just stood there holding the scroll like it'd bite her.

"You gonna read it?" Mako peeked out from under his jacket.

"Naw, I will later," she drummed the scroll against her thigh before dropping it.

"Might be something important."

She scoffed, "From Huan? Highly doubt it."

Mako sat up and reached for the scroll, "Fine then I'll read it."

"Knock yourself out," she waved him off as she resumed her routine.

"You need to open it," he poked the scroll at her arm, "Its bad luck to open up someone else's scroll."

Groaning, she snatched it from him and tried to pull the tie off the end instead of untying it. She tore the tie off and a piece of the scroll. Unraveling the scroll shown a chunk of the writing was ripped off. She muttered under her breath and slapped the torn piece into the scroll and shoved it at Mako. But he didn't take it.

"Here, you want it or not?" she waved it in front of his face, but he wasn't interested in it. He had already found out enough from that scroll. More than she wanted for him to anyway. Her face scrunched up as she chucked the scroll at his face and stomped away.

He grabbed his jacket and slung it on as he walked after her, "Yully I'm sorry. I noticed a few things before and—"

"Put it together? Mr. Clever Detective?" she huffed ahead of him.

"Hey comon," he jumped in front of her, "I won't tell anyone."

"Tell anyone? I was going to write a big ol' sign telling everyone but oh yeah I don't know how to!" She sidestepped around him but he continued to follow. The walked in silence until they reached the peak of the mountain, overlooking Zaofu. The air had an orange hue from the dilated sun resting on the horizon. The city, a sparkling chrome mirage, began to glow from inside the walls.

Without looking at her, Mako dared, "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. Why didn't you tell us before? Do your parents know?"

Looking past the city, she slightly shook her head, "Ya'know, I'm kinda glad I left before they found out too much about me."

"But why?" It was a rare thing for her to speak openly about herself as it made her vulnerable. He hated taking advantage of that but…he was curious.

She shrugged while taking a deep breath, "One less thing for them to feel guilty over. To not feel sorry for me," she began her descend towards the city, "And I don't want your sympathy."

Her monotone statement dug its way deep under his skin. He shook it off and fell in stride beside her, "Hey how about instead of lightning, I teach you how to read and write. We'll still come out here so no one will know. Practice whenever we can. Here," he pulled the crumbled scroll from his jacket pocket, "we can start with this…well maybe not," after reading it over. "These aren't really the best words to start off on."

"Why?" Her normal chipper tone returned.

Mako elegantly waved his hand as he recited in his most dapper of voices, "'The heart wants what the heart wants when it comes to love-'"

The scroll was ripped out of his hands. Yully tightly rolled and secured the scroll closed.

"Yeah it gets worse. But we can start with the basics. If you want." He bit his bottom lip waiting as she debated with her thoughts and self-confidence.

They had reached the bottom of the hillside when she stopped. The city now in the mountains shadow of the sun was a soft metallic blue. Yully turned to Mako with her hands to her heart with the scroll crumpled in-between, "Okay, Seifu Mako," and bowed.

He waved her off and headed towards the dining hall, "Do not call me that."


	25. Book 3: Episode 8

**Episode 8: THE TERROR WITHIN**

This was the last dinner before they continued their journey. Opal sat in the guest of honor seat at the head of the table with her parents. Everyone else, besides Yully, took their seats calmly. She pushed Mako into the second to last chair on the end of the table before claiming the last seat herself. Huan pouted on the other side of Mako mostly throughout dinner while Mako and Yully whispered back and forth. Nearing the end of dinner however there was a lull in conversation when everyone sat full in appreciate of their wonderful meal. This was when Huan leaned over the table and purred, "I hear you're a talented metal bender like myself?"

She hated the earsplitting silence as she hesitantly forced out a "Yes?"

Huan was ever so confident, "That explains it. You're radiantly positive which must make me negative because I'm exerting an attraction towards you."

The stares focused on her and Huan but with Mako confused in the cross fire. He loudly slurped his water.

 **LATER ON**

After dinner Korra and Asami went to Asami's room for a late night chat. They sat on the bed, Korra braiding Asami's long hair as she retold Korra of her progress with Varrick.

"Wow he's really weird." Korra couldn't image how anyone could decide on the fate of the company by seeing how well you could play a song on the metal.

"Weird but a genius." Asami had to admit the metal tones matched the songs perfectly.

Brushing her fingers through Asami's hair thoughtfully she asked, "You wanna know something really weird?"

"Yeah!"

"I saw Yully and Mako passing notes to each other at dinner tonight."

"You're kidding!" More of a hilarious image and thought than shock but Asami couldn't help chuckling.

"And when she saw that I saw, beet red!" She had to stop braiding for a moment Korra was laughing so hard.

"That is weird," Asami thoughtfully considered, "Do you think they're seeing each other?"

Korra scoffed, "He has to have some standards."

Asami pulled away a little to sarcastically look back, "Korra are you jealous?"

"No!" She said a bit to quickly, "Are you?"

Turning back around Asami shrugged, "I was a little when you and Mako starting going out but I ended up still being friends with you."

Korra nodded to herself, "We did break up weeks ago. Besides I gained a better companion than either of them!" She fastened her hair with a pin, "And you're done!"

"Wow," Asami lightly touched the interweaving braid across her bangs, "you're good at this!"

"Yeah well water tribe braids aren't really my thing but they look great on you!" Korra brushed through her own hair and bounced off the bed, "Well better get some shut eye. Night!"

"Night."

It seemed that almost everyone else was already asleep, beside one. Korra peeked through the ajar windows into Yully's room to see her writing meticulously before crumbling up the paper and tossing it in a growing pile behind her. _Poor kid, still writing love notes_. Despite her resistance, she knocked quietly on the door.

Immediately there was a ruffling of papers with a desperate, "One sec!" A clamor of objects falling, Korra guessed she tripped on her way to flinging the door open. A flustered Yully, leaning more on her left foot, tried to sound causal, "Hey Korra what's up?"

"Oh uh nothing really just wondered if you needed anything?" She felt so stupid; was there even a reason Korra thought she could bond with Yully. She bonded with Asami easy enough, but this was too forced.

Yully quickly shook her head, "No no I'm good," the awkward pause drew out before she added, "Do you?"

"No I'm fine…" _just out with it_ , "Actually uh… I just wanted to say that…if you were with-worried about what Asami and I thought about what's going on between you and Mako that you shouldn't…cuz we're totally cool with it."

It took her a moment to realize through Korra's big cheeked smile and the babbling that she knew. Yully's stature shrank with defeat, "He told you?" she groaned.

"No but I saw you two passing notes at dinner and you've been spending almost every afternoon here together so it wasn't too hard to guess," she shrugged empathetically.

Yully let out another low groan as she slunk to the bed, "I told him it was a bad idea," then face planted on top of it, "Ugh you must think I'm so stupid." She whined into the sheets.

Korra could relate to that feeling. She sat lightly on the side of the bed, "No you're not stupid, it's stupid. The whole thing is stupid. But it's okay, we all go through the same thing." She thought back to her fights with Mako, "Its confusing and frustrating and sometimes infuriating."

Yully hadn't been able to compose a single sentence all night, "Mostly infuriating!" she suddenly sat up looking eagerly Korra, "Hey can you tell me if I'm doing it right?" she slid off the bed and yanked back the covers.

Launching herself off the bed, Korra backed up towards the door, "What? Do I-you-What?"

Unfazed Yully spread out dozens of notes and papers across the bed, "I can't remember which character to use for world. Mako says I keep writing spiritual guide upon Pai Sho," she let a bundle of heavily creased notes fall from her hands, "And what's the difference between strokes?"

Korra racked her brain trying to understand, "Strokes?"

"Yeah up stroke, down stroke. It's giving me a stroke," she let out an exasperated sigh, "And why-why does anyone need thousands of these things?"

Staring at the piles of papers she ventured, "You're writing?"

"Trying to but it's impossible…" Yully rested her chin on the expansive layout of her scribblings

Korra felt more stupid now than ever. She didn't mean to but she doubled over laughing.

Yully however scowled, "Haha yeah okay thanks for the help."

Waving at her to stop tossing her papers on the floor Korra managed, "No I'm-I'm not laughing-I thought," _breathe_ , " I thought you and Mako were seeing each other."

She didn't know how that was funny, "I see him everyday, we all do."

That set Korra off in a fit of laughter again. "I'm sorry I swear it's not you." She picked up the pen and flattened out a crumbled paper, "Here…this is world."

Yully studied the lines for a moment before covering her face with her hands, "Uhh I'm never going to get this…"

It was then when Korra noticed all of the blankets were folded neatly on the ground except for the one on the bed, "Why aren't your blankets on the bed?"

Yully stared despisingly at the blankets, "Oh uh-I-the bed is really uncomfortable and I didn't want to impose on Suyin."

Giving the bed a few test bounces, Korra shrugged, "Seems soft enough to me."

Pressing her thumb into her palm, Yully looked at the ground, "It's a little too soft."

"So you're-" Korra stopped herself. _Sleep_ _…eat…fight in the dirt_. Yully had told Korra herself yet she had taken it as a figure of speech. Yully probably didn't know what that even meant. Standing up Korra cleared her throat, "Mako's terrible at explaining things like that. Tomorrow I'll show you with a real brush, the strokes feel more natural that way."

Nodding her head, Yully continued to stare at the ground, "Okay."

"Alright well uh goodnight." Korra made for the door deliberately slow.

"Night," was all Yully said. On the other side of the door Korra chided herself for her disregard towards Yully. Even during these last few weeks Korra had barely made an attempt to get to know her. She had taken Yully's lack of social skills as a chosen attribute, not a learned one. She couldn't imagine being scolded for good behavior in a bad environment then to be scolded for that bad behavior in a good environment. Back and forth always being told that you were wrong. On top of everything else… Korra promised herself to make more of an effort to get to know Yully.

 **LATER**

It was all quiet throughout the compound. All besides the scurrying of hurried footsteps along the shadowed walls. Four shadows ran across the alley to the stout building set apart from the rest with two doors and a bench in front. Just as they were told. Coming up to the first window on the right they surrounded the door and the window. A dart hovered just above the windowsill enclosed around water. Naga pricked up her ears and let out a low growl. Suddenly three darts soared through the room and hit Naga in the shoulder. She stumbled over her numb feet and whined as she fell. Another dart was flying towards an awakened Korra, puncturing her leg as she jumped over the bed. She collapsed onto the floor, sprawled out defenseless in front of the Red Lotus.

With Ghazan carrying Korra over his shoulder the group moved onto the next bedroom. Surrounding the door and window Ming-Hua aimed the dart to the bed, but saw that it was empty. They cautiously entered the room. After looking over the empty room Pi'lee growled, "She isn't here."

Ghazan glanced back outside, "Aiwei said their rooms were right by each other."

A hushing, "SSShhh…" from Zaheer made them all look down towards the bed. Yully stared out at their feet as she gently placed her hands on the mattress. The bed flew off the ground towards the group, Yully jolting to her feet. Zaheer caught the bed midair as Yully ran towards the open door. She made it to the door frame when something stung her back, sprouting a numbness throughout her body. Using her last bit of consciousness, she fell with gravity, slamming her fists into the earth. A quake shook and sounded throughout the compound alerting the watch towers and jolting everyone else awake. In a second, a frenzy of searchlights and shouts livened up their mission.

"So much for the element of surprise," Ming-Hua commented as Zaheer directed them towards the escape route.

He hesitated over the crumpled Yully and dropped two more darts into her back, "Sleep well Yue," before joining the fight.

 **FIGHT**

 **LATER ON**

Korra was regaining consciousness with help from the antidote, "What happened?" she asked groggily. Her head hurt and she couldn't remember anything after going to bed last night. She did have a dream of shouting and fighting but…

Lin, Suyin, Bolin, Mako, and Asami were scattered around the room.

"Zaheer and the Red Lotus tried to kidnap you," Asami sat beside her, urging her to drink water, "They vanished and we're not sure where they are." Her words hung heavily from their weight; pulling everyone down with them. Their distant stares at nothing in particular put them far away from the crowded room. The only ones that seemed aware were Lin and Suyin in a stand off argument. And even they seemed to be avoiding the absence.

"How did they get in?" Lin accused, "I thought this was the safest place in the Earth Kingdom?!"

"It is! There must be someone working on the inside." That had to be it. It was the only explanation, the only excuse and reason Suyin could blame for this.

Korra addressed the imbalance in the room, "Where-where's Yully?"

It was like a they were all falling in on themselves. The weight sinking in their stomachs and throats while pulling their gaze away from Korra's searching eyes. She couldn't repeat herself.

Suyin dug her fingernails into her palms, "She's being treated by my finest doctors," she said flatly. Focusing on the couch's worn leg was the closest she could bring her eyes to Korra's. "They," her voice broke, "They hit her…with…three darts." Everyone peered out of the corner of their eyes at Korra who's eyes drifted to the wall. "She was able to cause a quake to alert us to…what was happening." Suyin closed her eyes and tried to say, "You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her." But it came out in a whisper.

Everyone averted their gaze away from everyone else as each sniffled and wiped their face inconspicuously. Expect Korra. She couldn't believe it. There was no way. Yully was taking their attention from the real problems and focusing it onto herself? Again? Korra wouldn't let her be that selfish. She pushed off of the couch past everyone's gentle resistance for her to leave. It wasn't hard to see where Yully was, she always attracted a crowd. Korra made her way across the yard to the medical building where several ruffled up doctors strayed out of; Aiwei being among them.

"Where is she?" Korra demanded as the others silently followed.

Aiwei pressed up his glasses although they instantly slid down his bowing face, "I'm sorry but I'm afraid she's not in there. We did the best we could but it was too much poison for her heart," he paused, "I'll call Republic City to inform them of the attack," he ordered himself to do and left them with a quick, "I'm so sorry."

Korra couldn't believe it. Why would he lie? Why did everyone believe his lies? Yully was still there. Korra pulled away from the reaching hands behind her into the room. It was small waiting room, but she didn't need to wait for the diagnosis. There was a couch outside the medicine room with a mobile spotlight illuminating one spot in the dark room. And there on the couch was a small quiet figure enveloped by the blinding light.

"No," Korra stared in disbelieve. She felt Yully, she felt that Yully was alive. It was warm and turquoise and fresh air. But she felt it was fading…colder, darker, and stagnant.

Lin backed up against the farthest wall, it finally hitting her, "Tenzin…her parents…"

Korra felt the emptiness growing, "No, no this isn't happening. This isn't how this was supposed to happen!" She tried to hold onto that feeling but she felt someone trying to call her back. She could barely breath, "No…she just got her life back! She just started living!"

Suyin appeared beside her, "I'm so sorry, she's gone…"

"Is that what I'm supposed to tell her parents?" Korra cried, "That the same people took her away again! That she gave her life for me. For nothing!" She was gasping for air. Air. Korra ran over to the couch and air-bended gusts of wind into Yully's mouth.

"Korra what are you doing?!" Asami repelled backwards.

"Comon breath! Breath Yully!" The light melted Korra and Yully's figures together in the bright light.

Suyin tried to pull her away, "Korra she's dead!"

But Korra pulled out of her grasp and threw her fist down onto Yully's chest, "She's been—dead before—that hasn't—stopped her—yet…Mako!"

Mako looked up from the watery ground as Korra yelled again, "Mako! Electrocute her!" He stared blankly at her even as she pulled him to the couch and yelled in his ear, "Electrocute her!"

"But she died," Bolin stared wide-eyed at Korra, "The old woman died to bring her back." He stared wide-eyed at Mako.

"He's been doing it all week. Please Mako!" she wailed.

There were many blinding eyesights focused on him that he couldn't look directly at them. He turned to the blurred outline laying on the couch. There was an electric pull coming from it. Thoughtlessly his hands reached over, hovering over the chest; searching for that familiar charge. There. His hands pulled the electricity up, down, then above the body again and again before sending it down into the body. A dazzling blue light overtook the room and strangled the air. Everyone held their breathes. The light from the artificial bulb shattered and the room was blanketed in darkness. Only the moonlight shone through a broken window. A sputtering of gasps and convulsions from the reanimated Yully seized everyones attention. Suyin and Lin rushed past Mako who was thrown back onto the floor panting and awestruck.

While Suyin thrashed about in the medicine room, Lin and Korra held down Yully's flailing arms and legs.

"What's wrong?" Korra yelled.

"The poisons still in her blood," Lin held out Yully's arm as Suyin readied the antidote syringe. The drawn out moments of anxious waiting after the injection were the worst. Eventually her limbs were only shivering and breath was quick but steady. Then her eyelids began to flutter.

In an ecstasy of happiness and relief everyone rejoiced. Bolin tackled Mako, knocking the air out of him again. Asami ran up besides Korra, pulling her into a hug. Lin and Suyin tightly held each other's hand for a moment before helping Yully drink some water. After a few small gulps Yully looked around dazed, "What happened?"

"You died!" Bolin said speechlessly.

After three seconds of looking at them blankly she sighed, "Not again."

A couple of minutes went by before any of them regained a functioning thought. Lin was dabbing her face with a cold towel when she suddenly remembered, "Aiwei's sending that report!"

But Yully weakly put a hand out to her, "No…Aiwei…Red Lotus…Aiwei told…red lotus…" she got out between breaths.

"What?" Suyin retracted, "He's my most trusted adviser."

Without another word Lin raced out to the communications tower.

 **LATER ON**

The excitement had pasted but adrenaline was still pulsing throughout the room. Korra and the boys pacing around the room was making Yully dizzy watching them. So instead she closed her eyes and tried to breath with Pabu who was curled up on her stomach enjoying the head scratches. Her chest throbbed with pain; her new scar had grown long tendrils that dangled down her arm and crept across her neck and chest. The fresh scar overlapped her older one in places so it looked like a mangle coral reef.

A small knock at the door made everyone jump. The room had been on lock down since Yully's strained explanation of Aiwei's part in the kidnapping attempt. But it was only Asami returning with tea.

"Here, it's the strongest tea Raol has," she didn't mention that he had gotten word of Yully's death and wouldn't be surprised if his tears brewed that tea.

"Thanks," Yully scooted herself up against the couch. Pabu continued to mooch for pets as she sipped the tea.

Korra was tired of waiting despite Suyin's insistence to wait and see what damage Aiwei had done before seeking revenge. She couldn't see what else could happen that'd be worse. But in effort to remain calm for Yully's sake, she resorted to twenty questions with Mako, "Why would they want you dead if they wanted me?"

Mako tightened his blanket around him as he drank his tea, "To finish the job? Or to get her out of the way?"

"Out of the way for what?" Korra fumed.

"Whatever it was they wanted to do with Yully when she was the Avatar? Or you when you were little?" he added.

Asami thumbed the loosened braids in her hair, "Do we assume their objective was the same?"

"We don't know what they want," Suyin interjected, "except that they don't want Yully to interfere with whatever they have planned for the Avatar. They know what you're capable of, what with the Queens' palace. And if they wanted Korra, they'd have to get rid of her protector."

"Protector?" Korra scoffed, "I don't need a protector."

"Protector, second-best, decoy, whatever," Suyin continued not noticing a secret smile between Yully and Mako, "they obviously aren't planning your birthday party so they don't want any unwanted persons to stop them again."

Yully turned her smile towards Suyin, "Don't worry Su, I don't plan on crashing their parties anytime soon."

The door burst open and slammed shut again. "He's gone," Lin reported, "Aiwei's gone. He sent out that report and his estate is blown up and he's gone."

Suyin's fist clenched at her sides, "That traitor! Appeal that report and issue a new one of his treachery."

"No," Yully sat up too quickly, splashing a bit of tea onto Pabu, "don't let them think I'm alive."

This startled almost everyone in the room, "Why not?" Asami asked.

"It gives us the upper-hand," Mako explained, "They think they succeeded in killing Yully so they'll use that against you," he gestured to Korra, "they'll guilt you out in the open. Exactly what they want."

"Like I'm going to give them the satisfaction of thinking they killed her." Korra defiantly crossed her arms.

"Technically they did," Bolin soothed Pabu's damp fur, "And if they know she's alive and weak, they might try again."

"He's right," Lin obviously still not approving of the idea, "But we can't let her parents think that."

A knock at the door paused their thoughts. Suyin quietly whispered to Lin, "Send a private call to them. I doubt they're intercepting radio calls."

Korra walked over the to door with Suyin, "We need to find Aiwei. If he's with the Red Lotus, He's probably gone to meet up with them right now!" she whispered not too quietly.

Suyin shushed her before cracking the door open. Apparently relieved at the visitor she opened the door fully and allowed a lady officer into the room. The officer, Kuvira, was Suyin's top guard in her elite guard of metal-benders and the only other person to know of the real situation at hand.

Kuvira saluted diligently, "Ma'am, we've removed the debris from Aiwei's estate and we've found an escape route heading towards the desert."

"Very good, I want guards on that tunnel entrance 24/7. Now you and Lin clear out the communications room then I want you back here to guard Yully at all times henceforth."

"What I don't need-?" Yully had ever the amount of spunk even without the strength. She tried to protest but Lin and Kuvira rushed out of the room with the door slamming shut on objection.

"You need rest," Suyin ordered pushing her back onto the couch.

"I've rested enough for a lifetime, two in fact." Yully stubbornly tried to get up but Suyin's firm hand on her shoulder prevented her from arguing.


	26. Book 3: Episode 9

**Episode 9: THE STAKEOUT**

 **GANG FOLLOWS AIWEI TO MISTY PALMS**

Kuvira saluted Lin as she approached Yully's room where she was posted, "Why aren't you in her room?"

"Ma'am," Kuvira's voice had a tone of exhaustion in it, "she requested some personal space to speak with Master Huan."

Lin raised her eyebrows, "She requested it?"

"She said she couldn't bare to deceive him any longer."

Nodding her head thoughtfully, Lin turned around, "Carry on soldier."

In the underground car lot Yully tampered with an engine. She had been so absorbed trying to jump start the car she hadn't seen Lin enter.

"What're you doing?" Lin leaned her shoulder against the wall slightly amused at Yully desperate attempt at the car.

Yully's head shot up from underneath the car's dashboard. After taking a breath from the fright she said determinedly, "Helping my friends."

Pushing off the wall Lin strolled towards the car, "Looks like you're the one that needs help. Or would that be Huan?"

Neither of them glanced over at the sleeping figure in another car; a sleeping dart sticking out of his butt. Yully shook her head defiantly, "Have you known them to not run into trouble? And I know what you're going to say," she continued to tinker with the exposed wires, "but I need to help them."

Listening to a quick flurry of sparks Lin rolled her eyes, "Scoot over, I'll drive."

Lin shoved Yully over and reached down without looking at the wires. There was a quick spark then the car roared to life. Yully buckled her seatbelt in awe, "Wasn't expecting that…"

"You're not the only one with surprises." Lin stomped down on the gas petal, jerking the car out of the tunnel. Dodging the guards posted at the secret tunnel; Lin metal-bended them out of the way while Yully steered. When they were safely and quickly on their way in the tunnel Lin hit the car lights and followed the tracks in pursuit of the Korra's pursuit of Aiwei.

"You know Lin, you're not as bad as people say."

Lin smiled, being used to Yully's honest and backhanded compliments, "Neither are you kid."

Then both of the tough as nails women smiled and giggled like little girls.

 **AT MISTY PALMS**

 **KORRA ENTERS SPIRIT WORLD**

Zaheer reappeared beneath a tree, "It seems like he was followed after all."

Korra put up her fists, "That's right. We knew he'd crawl his way back to you."

"You don't need to sound so clever, I was waiting for you." Zaheer calmly sat down.

But Korra clenched her fists tighter, "You're going to talk Zaheer."

"And what would you like to talk about?"

"I need to know why!" she threw down her fists, "Why you killed Yully and kept me alive. What do you want from me?"

He shook his head disappointedly, "How can that possibly change whats already happened?"

"It can change whats going to happen," she snarled at him, "I need to know what sick reasons you excuse yourself with. To think it justifies the things you do for—for your despicable beliefs."

"Our beliefs has always been for the people," he said passionately, "I can't say the same for the White Lotus whose priority was to protect the Avatar. One single person. They went into hiding while a nation was exterminated. They were selfish cowards."

"And kidnapping-killing children isn't?" she yelled.

"We didn't mean to kill her…the first time. We were trying to save the Avatar from those bloated idealists that believed one life is worth a thousand. We wanted to teach and train the elemental bending to the Avatar so you could bring equality and fairness to the world. To do that, we needed to get to you before the White Lotus did. And they locked you away from the world just like us. We tried to free you."

"I am free of you. I'll never be brainwashed by your beliefs and neither will anyone else. You and your ideals will not survive another Avatar Cycle."

"Yes," Zaheer said thoughtfully, "I believe Unalaq thought something similar to that."

"Unalaq?" She had been repairing the damage he'd done for weeks now, but was no where closer to understanding his motives. It was deemed that he was greedy for power.

Zaheer's smile was crooked, "Although I was kept away from the world, the guards were very chatty. You see, Unalaq was a member of the Red Lotus. He was to be Yully's spiritual mentor as he hid her in the North while her parents looked everywhere else in the world."

Korra shook her head, trying to connect the pieces, "But the airship crashed."

"And that chance died with it. So we waited until the next Avatar showed itself. But that failed too. Being alone, Unalaq must have thought power was what he needed to throw the world into turmoil. He had an opportunity; a small fragile chance. But instead of corrupting her, he took it upon himself to become the Avatar we had hoped to create."

"The Dark Avatar? You wanted to train an Avatar to destroy the world?" _Could that even be possible? Raava wouldn_ _'t allow that abuse to her power._

"To rule over the world in ruins by chaos and anarchy."

"But that failed too," she spat at him, "So what are you planning now?"

Zaheer leaned backwards, "No Avatar will be just as effective as a Dark Avatar."

"You'll never get away with it!"

"I already have," he stood up, "the Red Lotus should have you by now. See you in the physical world." And he disappeared.

 **ASAMI AND KORRA CAPTURED ON QUEENS SHIP**

It had been almost an hour since their capture and Korra was still fighting against her ties. _How did Yully get out of these so easily!_ Every second they wasted the farther they were from the Red Lotus.

Asami however had been calm this entire time even when Korra had explained what she had learned from Zaheer, "Korra stop struggling! You need to calm down."

"Calm down?" Korra shouted, "The Red Lotus is getting away, we're being taken to the Earth Queen and Yully-" she couldn't finish the thought. Korra let out a shout of frustration.

Trying to keep a level voice Asami coolly promised, "We'll figure this out. But you need to stop struggling, it'll only tighten the knots."

After another moment of struggling Korra stopped. The tethers of her bounds held her up. She hadn't given up hope but straining to keep hold of it, "They can't get away with this. First Yully then me and who else before we stop them."

Asami couldn't think of anything else to say, "We'll capture them, we will."

"That's not good enough," Korra growled through her mask.

"Do you mean…" she couldn't say it, it turned her stomach. Not that the Red Lotus didn't deserve it. But they; her, Korra, the boys, even Yully; were the good guys. She didn't think she'd ever be able to do the unspeakable things that they; the Red Lotus, Unalaq, even…Yully; had done.

Korra looked away ashamed for even thinking it, "No…I know that's what Yully would want… but I couldn't…" she shook away the thought, "they need to pay for what they did. And they'd never be able to if they were dead. She'll understand that." Although she didn't believe Yully would.

It was quiet for a moment before Asami quietly asked, "You two got pretty close in the end huh?"

She didn't know why but Korra felt awkward, "In a way…I…when Unalaq destroyed Raava I felt all my past livers disappear except…I didn't feel alone. I felt Yully there with me. And not just her physically being there but…" she felt embarrassed telling this to Asami, "But the other night…I felt her leaving me," she shook her head of that hollow feeling, "I think even though my connection with Raava was "although my past lives where gone, I was still connected with Yully somehow. Like a small line between us. The last-or first Avatars of an age. Avatars who'd lost Raava, but…" Korra look around the room avoiding Asami's eyes, "That is if we ever get out of here."

Asami smiled slyly, "Oh we will. Two guards pass every hour but there's one guard posted at the door right now. So that gives up 57 minutes to escape." She tugged against her restraints.

"How?"

Asami adjust her grip on the bar, "My dad designed these airships but manufacturers are," she tugged at the bar, "Always. Skimping. On. Parts. to. Save. A yuan," the bar came off the wall, Asami stumbling backwards into a smile.

Korra shook her head amazed, "Cheapskates."

Sliding the bar out of her cuffs, Asami knelt to a floor grate and pried it up, "Give me fire minutes then get the guard to open the door."


	27. Book 3: Episode 10

**Episode 10: LONG LIVE THE QUEEN**

Since the fall of the Queen's Palace, a makeshift palace was erected to serve temporarily. It was poor in comparison to the original palace. The Queen had ordered the salvage of any and all pieces of the priceless historical artifacts but the people of the Kingdom had ransacked the rubble while the Queen was in hiding. If any artifacts did survive the people had stolen, pawned, and bartered them for money, clothes or used them for storing their precious food and water. The Queen had sent out a bounty for the Silver Avatar but somehow the people had it in their heads that the Red Lotus were responsible for the attack and the Silver Avatar had fought them off. The Silver Avatar was a hero to them. For days the Queen had yelled, cursed and bemoaned in the shambles of her once former glory.

Now she sat heavily in what was left of her throne as the Red Lotus strolled through the thin and pathetic entrance hall. They were as in awe at it as they were in the original palace.

The Queen scratched her claw against the remaining armrest, "Amuse me with your explanation and excuses before I bury you."

Zaheer approached unfazed, "We needed to be positive that she'd no longer be a hindrance to our plans."

"She wouldn't have been a problem without her eyes!" the golden claw dug into the stone.

"Your games would've been a dishonor to her. She deserved better than that." He spoke with respect towards his admirable foe. She had been a worthy opponent and now he dealt with insults like this old woman.

The Queen stood before her broken throne, "I deserved her life, and more since it was so pitiful. There is no honor in death! My palace, my reputation, hundreds of ancient artifacts are destroyed!"

"You survived so that's one ancient artifact saved." Pi'Lee spoke up annoyed.

The Queen's face hardened, "For years we've arranged deals and for years you've come up empty-handed!"

Remaining his composure, Zaheer reminded himself it'd be over soon, "The Avatar's forces were more skilled than anticipated."

"You're less skilled than anticipated!" the Queen crowed, "You couldn't secure Yue as a child and ultimate failure with Korra. Unalaq was within grasp of fulfilling our deal but destroyed himself instead. Now you double-crossed me with this disgraceful excuse! I will find the air-benders without you as I have the Avatar and can extract their location from her. Now get out!"

Zaheer lowered his voice as the Red Lotus began to fan out around the room, "You speak of double-crossing but we're here only to get even."

"For what?" the Queen spat.

"For the last twelve years. You conveniently neglected to tell us of the elite benders protecting Korra as a child."

Casually sitting back into her chair the Queen drummed her fingers on the armrest, "It must have slipped my mind."

"You sold us out!" Pi'Lee shouted down the hall.

"Well I had to gain something out of you since it was evident that you'll never uphold your promises. And now I finally have an Avatar to train my forces. You betrayed me in breaking your word so my word is as good as yours!" the Queen sneered down at them.

But Zaheer held his head high, "I'll remember that as the last thing you said."

The small chamber made it easier for Zaheer. The wind around the Queen blew off her crown and hair trinkets. Guards around them tried to attack but Pi'Lee and the others stopped their meager attempts. A pocket of airless space surrounded the Queen's head as the air from within her lungs were sucked out.

 **MAKO AND BOLIN ESCAPE CITY**

 **ASAMI AND KORRA ESCAPE DESERT**

 **ELSEWHERE**

They had been cooped up in the hotel for a day and a half now and Lin was getting restless while Yully was getting plenty of sleep. It wasn't until the first of their party arrived that morning that Yully had taken a step out of the room. Lin shouted from the window that he'd arrived. It wasn't until Yully heard the great wings flap down did she know who it was. Lin and Yully rushed out to greet him, Fire Lord Zuko. Lin exchanged her greetings then went to gather something from the dragon as Yully bowed lowly to their guest.

"Fire Lord Zuko, it is a great honor to meet you." Confidently, she looked at his scar. She rubbed her covered scarred arm that she hid from the world.

The Fire Lord held himself high, "Ah the Silver Phoenix…I heard you were dead."

"A common misconception sir," she slightly bowed again, "and please call me Yully. I didn't come up with that nickname, it just kinda stuck. I apologize for it."

Tilting his head the Fire Lord asked, "Why in the world would you apologize?"

Confused, thinking it obvious she explained, "It's not an appropriate title what with…your father sir." She cast down her eyes, ashamed.

"Actually I think its quite befitting for you," the Fire Lord contradicted.

More confused, "Sir?"

He looked her in the eyes as he explained, "My father's the one who disrespected that name, you exemplify it. Including the literal sense of the word, which you have done-twice, you have lived a life of pain and constant struggle," he gently put his hand on her left scarred shoulder, "And despite it you have risen above it all. You have loving friends and family and people, myself included, who are inspired by you. Besides," his arm slipped off her shoulder as he lightly grabbed her hand, "My father was no where near the radiance and beauty to do the name justice as you have."

As if that wasn't enough to make Yully blush the Fire Lord kissed the back of her hand making it hard for her to breath.

Another voice called out besides the dragon, "Alright settle down there, her heart can take only so much."

Yully looked up at the other person as the Fire Lord chuckled to himself.

"Dad!"

Punav ran and caught Yully mid-jump, bringing her into a hug as Lin explained, "I got the call out to him right before the official report." She let them have another second before gesturing the Fire Lord to their room, "Comon let's move it inside shall we?"

They four of them filed into the room as the dragon laid down next to the overly excited Naga and Pabu. The dragon covered itself up with its wings trying to get them to go away but Naga licked his talons as Pabu ran up and down its back.


	28. Book 3: Episode 11

**Episode 11: THE ULTIMATUM **

**AT MISTY PALMS**

Suyin had arrived with a small force of her metal-benders. As Yully was apologizing for darting Huan, Korra and Asami showed up retelling of their capture and escape on a sand-sail. She left out her conversation with Zaheer as Yully and her father was present. She didn't know how to explain how close Yully was to fulfilling her very different destiny. She'd tell them later. Just as she was finishing up, Mako and Bolin landed their stolen airship rather badly. It was a very busy afternoon for the people at the Misty Palms, they thought a traveling circus must have rolled in. Everyone ran out to greet the boys and their family.

"Yully, you're here!" Mako ran up but didn't hug her as he did Korra and Asami.

She still looked very weak as she shrugged, "Yeah well I couldn't let you guys have all the fun."

Bolin, joining them, flung up his arms, "Oh sure—fun! Fighting powerful benders, getting kidnapped, and running for our lives in a burning city? It was a laugh!"

"Sounds like my Tuesday," she smiled as he gently hugged her.

After making the introductions to the new faces, Grandma Lin made her her towards Yully, "Ah Yully dear, good to see you again."

"It's great to have you safe here with us Grandma Lin" Yully said wearily.

"My goodness child," Grandma Lin stroked Yully's exhausted face, "you should really get some rest. You look very tired. And with your hair color, you look twice as old as I am."

Yully continued to stare long after Mako shooed his Grandma indoors. It wasn't until Bolin put an arm around Yully and guided her to the room, "So glad she's here," she forced a smile.

 **LATER**

The main party had been reeling from Korra's news when she returned from the airship. She had gotten Meelo on the airship radio but it was already too late. It was a frenzy of yells and shouts in the overly packed room.

"So what do we do now? They have the air-benders captive." Suyin tried not to think of her own daughter Opal in their capture.

"I will not let them destroy what we have worked so hard to restore," Korra announced, "We cannot lose the Air Nation again."

We can't just hand you over," the Fire Lord challenged, "They'll destroy you and the Avatar Cycle."

"But Tenzin and the air-benders lives are at stake," she was beginning to get really annoyed at how her life was deemed more valuable over others. Zaheer's beliefs echoed in her head and she couldn't ignore it. She was the Avatar and she had a duty but because of this threat directed solely on her she had become too precious to fight while others were expendable.

"I know Tenzin and he wouldn't want you to do that." Punav said.

Korra turned towards him, trying not to look directly at Yully by his side, "No one else is risking their lives for me. I'm stronger than ever and these guys have been sitting in cells for twelve years!"

"Don't underestimate obvious weaknesses," the Fire Lord warned, "My father was beaten and rid of his powers by a twelve year old."

"Comon people, there has to be a way besides giving Korra up to them or hiding Korra from them!" Lin urged.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Korra stood in the middle of the room.

"Not since the last two attacks against you left you physically impaired." Lin countered. First Amon, then Unalaq, now the Red Lotus…

"So what you're just going to keep me locked away from the world to keep me safe? Like that worked last time?" Korra scolded the adults.

"This type of attack has never been done before," the Fire Lord stood, "They are attacking the very foundation of society. The Red Lotus does not care for Kings or Queens nor do they want to take their place. They want chaos to the rule the people."

"It was pretty chaotic in Ba Sing Se" Bolin piped in, "and that was just one city."

"We need to separate them," Mako directed the conversation back to their objective, "we know that. Zaheer and Pi'Lee will mostly likely be together and negotiating Korra's surrender. The others will be with the air-benders."

"It's pointless for Korra to give herself up without knowing for sure that the air-benders are safe." Suyin emphasized.

"We could use radios," Asami offered, "There's some mobile ones in the airship. Korra can have one so she can know the second the air-benders are released."

Lin crossed her arms, "She's not surrendering."

"Well what else can we do?" Korra put her hands on her hips.

Yully spoke up for the first time in the conversation, "I can surrender."

Lin shook her head, "No you can't, they think you're dead."

"Which makes it perfect," Yully stood up, "I can dye my hair, wear her clothes, they'd be none the wiser."

"I think they'd notice you're not Korra when you pass out from flying up to the meeting point." Zaheer had told Mako that the meeting point would be up on top of a giant plateaued mountain.

"And you're a whole foot shorter." Bolin added.

"Now wait a minute," Lin waved down their objections, "I highly doubt they noticed her height when they were kidnapping her. And she'll be surrendering not fighting."

"And we have the advantage of having Korra," Suyin said, "She can hide off the cliffs with me, Lin, and my metal-benders. If Zaheer tries to double-cross us, we'll give him the fight."

Korra nodded but using Yully again… "But while we're on the cliffs, she'll be completely defenseless. A strong gust of wind will blow her over."

"Hey!" Yully furrowed her brows.

"And where would we even get stuff to dye your hair?" Bolin asked.

Mako snapped his fingers, "Like what you did for the coins?"

She nodded, "Pretty much but her color."

"You've done enough Yully," Punav said coldly. This new strategy had left him dumbstruck. That they would ask-no that she had volunteered—to risk her life again.

"But it's not over yet," Yully objected, "And this way Korra will be on the offense, not have to surrender, the air-benders will be saved and we can end the Red Lotus for good!" She was weak, she admitted that. But this was the best option.

"And what happens when they find out you're not Korra?" Punav stood up to his daughter he had be hugging not ten minutes ago.

"I'll get out of the way and let them handle it!" she gestured to the room of people she hardly remembered was there.

"No absolutely not, you're coming home with me!" Punav shook his head and grabbed for her hand.

But she stepped away in bewilderment, "What?"

"It's too dangerous for you here!"

"It was too dangerous for me in the North Pole!"

 _Does she know what I did?_ "Not anymore. I'm taking you home to be with your family." He grabbed for her hand once more.

And again she retreated away from her father, "This is my family!" she cried out.

Punav stood immobilized for a moment before wordlessly exiting the room. Yully watched him leave. Her whole body shuttered back into realizing there was a room of people watching her.

"I'll get the stuff for my hair," she mumbled dumbly as she walked out the door in the opposite direction of her father.

Everyone looked expectantly at each other before Lin raced after Punav and Korra after Yully. Asami sighed as she quickly explained the Red Lotus's plan for Korra and their original plan for Yully.

 **Lin/Punav**

Lin found Punav at the road head leading out of town into the vast desert, "Punav?"

He spoke out into the desert, "It's my fault…Why this happened to her…again."

She couldn't see but could tell he was crying, "It was no one's fault-"

"It's mine," he shuddered, "The day she came back and told us…" tears dripped off his chin, "I was livid, filled with so much rage at them! For making her go through all that." He pictured her scars, her down-cast eyes, her bony body, "I went to the prison-to Pi'Lee."

The secret ice prison chamber that held Pi'Lee had not changed since the last time Punav was there, some twelve years ago. He knelt down besides her chamber door and growled, "Your entire life has been a waste," his words melted the ice on the bars, "Your time spent in here was for nothing," there was so much agony and hate in him that day, "My daughter is alive. She is alive and she is home," she watched Pi'Lee squirm fitfully in her cage, "Enjoy the rest of your wasteful nothingness." And he stormed out on his dog-sled when he felt the quake.

Now again there was agony and hate in his voice, but towards himself, "I told Pi'Lee. And when I got the message that Zaheer's prison had been compromised…" He had gotten the news right after the Harmonic Convergence. His prison had been opened and an automatic alarm sounded in every war room in every nation. "I knew he would come for Pi'Lee. She'd tell him. Then he'd come for my daughter." His hand covered his mouth not wanting to say it aloud, not wanting to make it a full realization, "I sent her away and I almost lost her again."

Lin knew there was no comfort in the world she could give him. So she simply stood beside him, "You had no way of knowing. And I'm sorry that I wasn't able to protect her for you."

Punav shook his head, "I don't blame you, I couldn't save her either."

 **Yully/Korra**

There was surprisingly little one needed to change the color of hair. Korra looked down into the make-shift stove Yully put up in the back alley behind their room, "And all that, will dye your hair to my color?"

"Yup," Yully stirred the pot absently.

Korra looked closer at her hair, "Isn't it a little dark?"

"It's fine."

"How do you know? You just threw it all in there."

Yully sighed, "Because I do, I've been doing this my whole life."

"I thought you used to shave it?"

Suddenly Yully stood up, "Hiding Korra! I know how to hide because I've been doing it my whole life!" she shouted, "I've hidden my hair, my scars, my bending my entire life because people were scared of me. Called me a freak all because I was something I wasn't supposed to be!" she began searching for something on the ground before giving up and slumped down against the wall, "But I'm scared Korra, I'm so scared," she whispered into her arms.

"You don't have to hide that, we're all scared," she had thought since this was Yully's idea she'd been okay with it. But now it was Korra needing to convince her of the plan, "Your dads scared for you more than anything. It's because he loves you…he just wants you to be safe after…everything," she didn't want to but she had to say it, "if you really don't want to do this you don't have to-"

"Yes I really do," Yully interrupted, "I have to or the air-benders or you or both will be gone. If I don't do this…" she leaned her head against the wall, "it'd be like I'm helping the Red Lotus."

Korra was about to tell her she could never have helped the Red Lotus but she couldn't say it. Yully had already ruined two nation's landmarks and that was without the Red Lotus's guidance. If Yully was raised by the Red Lotus…

"Yully," another thing Zaheer had said caught her memory, "what happened the night of the Harmonic Convergence? I mean—how did Desna knock you unconscious?"

Yully looked up confused then thought back to her disastrous wedding night, "He…he kept asking me of the plans I had. What I wanted to do as Chief. How I felt about the council—that sort of thing."

"What did you tell him?" Korra asked.

Shrugging, "I don't know…said I couldn't blame the council no matter how much I hated them. That'd I'd make the most of it," she wiped her nose on her sleeve, "I uh…he asked a lot of how I wanted to establish a better interaction between the world leaders. Then he made me a drink and I got really tired…more sleeping serum."

And like a switch Korra realized just how different the world might have been. Just as if Yully was raised by the Red Lotus, if Yully had been more resentful more hateful during the Harmonic Convergence then she would have walked through that portal herself and released Vaatu. She really could have been the Dark Avatar. The Red Lotus would have succeeded. The world would have been destroyed in the chaotic battle of two Avatars. But she didn't have that hate despite everything. Desna had to poison her and bring her to Unalaq so he could be the Dark Avatar. _He couldn_ _'t corrupt Yully._ She had saved them without knowing. Korra was about to tell her everything when another voice broke into their conversation.

"Yully?" a wavering voice from down the alley reached them. It was Punav. Korra nodded to him as they past each other on her way down and out of the alley.

Punav slid down against the wall besides Yully. They were both quiet for a moment then at the same time apologized.

"I'm sorry dad,"

"I'm sorry Yully."

A crack of a smile shown through their long frowns of exhaustion. Yully had been hiding from her own father long enough, "Dad, I was scared when I was with you and mom. How sad she got, how angry you got when…I didn't want to tell you or be honest with you. And I didn't mean to disappoint you more than I already had but I ended up hurting you more."

"How could you ever disappoint us?" he sniffled.

Yully pressed her thumb into her other palm, "I wasn't who you wanted. I gave away my freedom and all that I had dreamed and hoped for all my life. Like it was nothing. I didn't fight for you and mom and I'm so sorry."

Punav pulled her into his arms, "But you are sweetie you are. You fight for you and me and your mother and Korra and her parents and everyone who lost someone to the Red Lotus, to Unalaq and to Amon. You could never disappoint us because we've always loved you. And we always want you. And although we may not like you fighting, we like it a whole lot more than you not fighting. You fought every day of your life, what's one more day to fight and win and never have to fight again."

Yully wiped her nose snot off of Punav's shirt, "Oh I'm sure Korra and I will come up with something to fight about."

Punav smiled to himself.


	29. Book 3: Episode 12

**Episode 12: ENTER THE VOID**

The air was filled with pre-battle quietness. It hung heavy on their shoulders. Half the group was gone on their mission, now only Korra, Punav, Yully and the sisters were in the room. Suyin and Lin were just making some last minute adjustments to Yully war outfit.

"Wow, the resemble is uncanny!" Lin looked between their creation and the inspiration standing side by side, one being a foot smaller than the other.

"Well this better work," Korra pulled at her newly purchased clothes, "That was my favorite outfit and now its all hacked up to half my size." She playfully kicked at the scraps of cloth snipped off to make it fit Yully. Who now stood fittingly in Korra's clothes with her staff, a jacket, and sporting brown hair.

"Yeah I'm rreeeeaaalllyyy sorry about your outfit Korra." Yully teased.

Looking at Yully was like looking into a blurry reflection from far away. _This had to work._ Yully had given herself up for Korra, she couldn't let it be in vain. Korra stuck out a hand, "Once this is all over, you owe me."

Yully firmly clasped Korra's hand, "Sure."

A crackle over the radio silenced the room again. After a fuzzy conversation Lin announced, "Team B in place. Time we get going."

With one reassuring nod from Yully they headed out.

Yully had flown up to the top of the cliff better than expected. She had to fly around a few more passes than necessary but the radio was heavier than she thought. Korra had veiled the sides of the cliffs under a cover of clouds. And there they hung on taunt wires. Korra, Punav, Lin, Suyin and her metal-benders waited…an anxious twitchful wait.

Suyin looked worriedly at Lin, "You think she can pull this off?" she whispered.

"Of course, she looks like a mini Korra." Lin glanced over at the real Korra hugging the radio to her ear.

Suyin shook her head, "No, I mean will she be able to hold her temper?"

A stark panic raced through Lin. In all the hustle she hadn't thought of how Yully would react over seeing her killer face to face. Lin shook off the panic in a shudder, "She knows what's at stake here."

Suyin grimly nodded, hoping Yully was as emotionally isolated as everyone said she was.

Yully landed atop the cliff with a small stagger from the radio's weight or weakness. She didn't think of it as Zaheer and Pi'Lee stood at the other end of the plateau in front of an airship. Her heart began to beat so rapidly so felt dizzy. Breathing deeply she calmed herself and focused. She had secretly kept her personal vendetta from the others but this was her chance. These were the people after her since her birth and now since her death.

"Avatar Korra," Zaheer shouted from afar.

Yully scowled, "Zaheer."

"Drop your staff and radio," he commanded.

"Not until I get confirmation that the air-benders are released!" She quickly radioed in to Mako, "Status?"

A moment of static then, "A-okay we have Tenzin and the air-benders."

"Okay," Yully said more to herself. If she was taken onto that ship she'd end it then and there. The two small throwing knives in her belt bit into her stomach. She waited her whole life for this. Korra wanted them alive but she wasn't Korra.

Yully dropped the radio and the staff then walked slowly towards Zaheer. Pi'Lee took out long chain cuff links when she approached but Yully kept her eyes on Zaheer. He surveyed the cliffs as Pi'Lee secured the cuffs. Yully was so absorbed in her personal mission that she didn't notice that the chain felt foreign, odd, processed. Zaheer grabbed the back of Yully's shirt and pushed her towards the plank leading up to the airship with Pi'Lee covering behind them. His closeness, his touch made her skin crawl. She pulled the knives from her belt as they were halfway up the plank.

Suddenly the radio screamed at them, Mako's voice coming through the static, "Stop! It's a trap, they've double-crossed us! Yully get out of—" a loud crash on his side cut off the end of the warning. But its message got to Suyin, ordering her team to climb the cliffs. Pi'Lee and Zaheer stared dubiously at the radio as two glints of metal shot through Zaheer's knee and Pi'Lee's stomach. With her plan foiled, she improvised. She shot a gust of wind down the plank, knocking the doubled over couple back onto the cliff top. Making it onto the airship she kicked the plank off and metal-bended the levers to fly the ship away. They would be captured-for now. She stood in the open door watching Zaheer and Pi'Lee look back and forth in confusion at her and at Korra. Team A was now atop the cliff ready to fight, "Stop Zaheer. You have no where to go!" Korra shouted.

Zaheer yelled to the retreating airship, "What!"

Pulling at her collar Yully showed them her scar, "You can't kill a ghost Zaheer!"

Enraged, Zaheer screamed, "Pi'Lee!"

The fire-bender turned her eyes directly at Yully. A spark shown on her forehead but she was struck from behind by something. The beam shot up towards the airship, hitting the back propellers. The airship exploded. Punav dropped his ice disks and ran to the edge of the cliff. Outside of the fiery airship, plummeting to the ground was Yully; unconscious. But a metal-bender whipped through the air, caught Yully, then braced themselves against the cliff wall out of the falling debris.

Back on top of the cliff the fighting began.

 **FIGHT**

 **KORRA GETS TAKEN**

 **MAKO AND BOLIN FIGHT OTHERS**


	30. Book 3: Episode 13

**Episode 13: VENOM OF THE RED LOTUS**

 **KORRA CAPTURED**

At the rendezvous point Yully was laid off to the side while the others huddled in a tight circle discussing how it was possible Zaheer had the capability of flight. In coming was Team B with the air-benders. Mako and Bolin helped Tenzin to the comfiest looking rock while Asami rushed over to Lin.

The boys were about to join the group when they followed Asami's stare to a small figure separated from the group.

"Who is it?" Bolin murmured as both of them took off towards it.

Mako skidded to a halt and fell to his knees, "Oh no not again," it was Yully, he could tell, "Uuuhhh air-bending…" he looked around desperately. His eyes settled on her mouth and he sighed. He leaned down over her and took a deep breath. But it was slapped out of him as both he and Yully recoiled backwards.

Wide eyed in horror a very much alive Yully shouted, "What do you think you're doing!"

Bolin and Mako had looks of disbelief on their faces, Mako's a little more red, "I-I thought you were dead!" he said simply, rubbing his cheek.

She was more confused than ever, "So you were gonna kiss me back to life? Weirdo!"

He tried to explain himself but it came out in stammers as Yully got to her feet. She started off towards the wounded Tenzin but glanced back at Mako.

"I heard you're not even that good of a kisser," she said quickly.

Bolin doubled over busting at the ribs laughing.

"Oh shut up," Mako grumbled.

Joining the others Kai said he knew where Zaheer had taken Korra. To a cave nearby. Mako, Bolin, and Punav took Oogi to rescue Korra while the air-benders ate whatever food rations and water was stored on the ship.

 **KORRA, MAKO, BOLIN FIGHT RED LOTUS**

The metal-bender who had saved her, Kuvira, held a bit of a grudge for making her appear foolish by escaping Zaofu. But seeing Huan in such a hilariously compromising position had made it worth it. They chuckled over it now. After a little while they heard echoes of the battle off the canyon walls. Then they saw it above them as Zaheer and a crazed looking Korra in the Avatar state fought through the air.

Yully watched helplessly as they fought but followed Jinora and helped with the air circle to bring down Zaheer. Punav rushed over to Korra to help her sit up but she was fading. He cried out to Zaheer imprisoned in earth, "What did you do to her!" His fatherly instincts and anger for a potential second child lost to the Red Lotus was raging.

"The poisons been in her system too long! The Red Lotus has won!" his jubilee was short lived as he saw Yully approach Korra.

Yully's silver hair streaked beneath the fading spices as she knelt besides Korra and waved her hand over her. Her fingers twitched at the recognition of an overwhelming amount of a certain tang, "The poison's metallic!" she shouted to Lin and Suyin, "I've never bended this before."

The sisters knelt down over Korra, swaying their hands over her. Suyin found a hold on the poison, "I've felt this before, but never this pure." She began to pry and pull the poison out of Korra. Yully helped by separating the poison from uncontaminated blood. Droplets then streams of dark gray thick liquid was pulled out of Korra's system. Then after a moment she eyes opened.

"NO!" yelled Zaheer.

Yully was about to stand up to finish her plan but Punav held her hand for her to stay.

 **CEREMONY**

Yully looked up as Korra, Asami, and Lin went up the incline towards the temple. It was so unfair that Korra be confined to a wheelchair when she, who had died not a week ago, was walking around no problem.

"She doesn't look too good," President Raiko observed.

Listening to his banter about the safety of Republic City and Earth Kingdom when he was barely concerned for Korra's health made her despise him more. Not wanting to hear him complain more, Yully heard herself say, "I'll help out any way I can President Raiko."

He gave her a sympathetic smile, "Thank you Yue, but I would need dozens of you to clean up the mess in the Earth Kingdom and everywhere else in the world."

Tenzin found his answer to the question he'd been asking himself since the arrival of so many air-benders, "I may have a suggestion."

The ceremonial hall was filling up with air-benders, family, and friends. Korra sat silently on the elevated side platform. On the opposite platform making his way over to her was Varrick tripping over everyone in his path. She dreaded not being able to get away.

Finally Varrick had reach her with his ever wide smile, "Hey Korra, why so down?" his painfully inappropriate joke sounded worse out loud. He cleared his throat, "What I mean is don't you worry. Varrick's here to help! I worked up a design for a wheelchair so mobile and fast-"

"Thanks Varrick," Korra interrupted, "but I won't be staying like this for long. I'll be visiting the South Pole for awhile to heal."

He went on in his usual way, but Korra wasn't listening.

"Well that settles it then," President Raiko dismissed the small group but held Yully back, "And Yue I was hoping to speak with you later about a position for you on my council."

"What? Really?" She'd never been invited into any sort of council no less a Presidential one in her life.

He nodded firmly, "Your advice would be most welcome."

"Wow I mean…are you sure? Uh-yeah I mean of course I'd be honored," Tenzin yelling for her flustered her more, "very much-thank you! After wards? We'll talk!" she jogged away almost tripping over her feet.

Watching her go, the President's assistant softly spoke over Raiko's shoulder, "Is that wise Mister President? Her outbursts makes Korra's look like a childs' tantrum. And a place on the council?"

Raiko's eyes followed her ascending the stairway, "I keep my friends close and my enemies closer."

The pair slowly took to the stairs, "And which is she?" the assistant eyed the small laughing girl whom had torn down a palace in under a minute.

"A councilwoman Tenzin!" Yully was practically bouncing up the stairs, "Me! Can you believe it!"

Tenzin furrowed his brows, glancing downward but still smiled loosely, "Looks like you're going to have to keep up on your reading lessons."

As difficult was it would be it'll be worth it, "Everyday all day! And I know exactly what I'm going to do first."

He'd been waiting for this. Everyday all day since their return to Republic City she had been relentless. Not even today could she give it a rest, even if she couldn't accept it, "Yully, you can't-won't be able to appeal that. It was an executive decision."

"Well then I'll just have to become an executive councilwoman then won't I?" she smiled wickedly.

Tenzin stopped on the stairs, "I won't allow you to do it," he ordered firmly.

Yully turned around a couple of stairs above him, "Why not? Doesn't he deserve it after all he's done?"

He shook his head, she didn't understand, "You don't deserve to do that to yourself. After how far you've come?" he pleaded.

"Which is a lot farther from where I would've been if Zaheer had his way," she turned back around and started up the stairs.

Tenzin strode up next to her, "He will be imprisoned for life. He won't be able to hurt you or Korra anymore."

She scoffed, "In a prison…like he was before?" she stopped at the top of the stairs and pulled him to the side speaking quietly yet harshly, "Let me tell you something Tenzin. It hurts more knowing that he's alive-that the council is allowing him to live-than everything he's ever done to me. At least he has the backbone to carry his burden of hard decisions. You'd rather be indecisive and do nothing than make a hard decision that might make you feel bad about yourself. And you won't even let me unburden myself," she stepped closer, "the hard decisions I've had to make…were for the hope that I get some sort of justice one day. And that day has come and gone. And I've still had no justice."

"The justice you're looking for is the same sort of justice they believed in. That kind of justice resolves your burdens only by handing it over for someone else to carry. It's done nothing but hurt everyone. I know it's easier to forgive yourself than it is to forgive others. But when you use that to excuse the things you do, you're only making yourself more like them."

They silently stared at one another, the others argument stung at the surface and would take time to sink in. But not for a long time. Yully pushed passed Tenzin and disappeared into the dark hallway. Tenzin made his way to the front of the temple and stood among Korra, her friends, his family, and the air-benders. Yully wasn't there.


	31. Book 4: Episode 1

_**Book 4**_

 **Episode 1: AFTER ALL THESE YEARS**

 **AT OPENING CEREMONY**

Prince Wu was trying to impress Asami at the opening and had begun a demonstration dance when a shadow fell upon Mako.

"Please tell me that's the party clown," her droll humor hadn't changed. Mako spun around and embraced Yully, her skin cold from flight.

"Where in the world have you been?" he held her at arms length. The last two years of good food and proper hygiene had done her well. She was now just a little shorter than Korra and filled out her fashionable clothes. But she disappeared a week ago without word to anyone.

"Anywhere and everywhere," she released Asami from their hug and her pleasant mood swung to an urgent whisper, "I need to talk to you guys about-"

"Yue!" Prince Wu slid in-between them, "Long time no see. You're slink little minx you are!" he bellowed in laughter as she and Asami rolled their eyes. "Say," Wu continued, "is it true that the Prez fired you?"

"Fired?" Mako echoed.

"A requested leave of absence. Totally different," she shook her hand free from the lingering handshake Wu clung onto, "Wu can we-"

"Yue," President Raiko and his assistant walked up out of nowhere, "So good to see you. When did arrive?"

"Just now sir," she bowed slightly towards the President.

"I'm interested to hear of your travels. Would you be so kind as to join us for a council luncheon?" His polite insistence had a sour taste Yully didn't like. But none the less she nodded her head stiffly.

"Wonderful!" Prince Wu clapped, "I'm famished," he linked his arm with Yully's and dragged her behind President Raiko and dived back into his dance demonstration.

Asami and Mako watched as Prince Wu flapped his arms like wings while jumping around a petrified Yully.

The luncheon consisted of President Raiko, Yully, Prince Wu and his three councilmen of advisers. Yully hadn't touched her food while the others shucked the nutshells and fruit stems onto the table. After a lengthy conversation of Prince Wu's coronation, Yully brought up the argument responsible for her weeks absence.

"President Raiko after the assessment of my exploration this past month, I've concluded that we need to immediately form a plan of attack against Kuvira."

The councilmen scoffed as they had last week. Thinking back this was only her third actual council meeting what with all the traveling she'd been doing. The balding councilmen held up a chicken leg, "And where's the proof of this we've asked you to gather? And where's the Avatar for that matter?"

"The proof you asked for is out in the acres of land she has been building her army on. Obviously they all wouldn't fit at the table so I didn't invite them. As for Korra, I couldn't find her." she stared down at the munching men.

"Yue," President Raiko also hadn't touched his food, "last week you stormed in here claiming that Kuvira had this plan-to take over the Earth Kingdom. And yet you can provide no evidence of this 'nation-wide catastrophe' as you put it?"

"It's hard to see the evidence from here sir." She tried to keep her tone level but that somehow sounded more mocking, "You aren't in the people's position who are being effected. She's spreading her power through the smaller cities and will work her way up to when you will see it you'll already be entrapped by it."

"And what is 'it'?" President Raiko held out his hand as if 'it' could fit in his small clean palm, "Can you explain how she is this major threat when she is using all of her power within her limits and is helping the people of the Earth Kingdom survive?"

"A threat that you've endorsed for the past two years?" one of the councilmen added.

Taking a moment to breath, "You gave her a taste of power and now she wants it all. She won't step down tomorrow."

"She gave us her word-" Raiko tried to insist.

"She's using her power to her advantage sir. She's abusing-"

"Excuse me," the oldest councilman interrupted, "but I have to point out the obvious question we're all thinking here." He pointed a skeletal finger at Yully, "Yue, don't you think you're being hypocritical about this whole situation?"

Yully shook her head once, "No," then looking back to Raiko, "Mister President she is making-"

But the old man slowly continued, "As I remember…you too were in a similar position as Kuvira. Raised in the slums to become a great leader among the people mmmhhh?" he spoke as if to a child, "Are you getting a little jealous of her because she's becoming more popular than you?"

Yully frowned at the insult, "Do you think I care about popularity?"

"The populous does," the not so old and not so bald councilmen chimed.

Wu, who had been noting down the types of flowers he wanted for the coronation, waved his pen at Yully, "You talk the talk but she walks to walks," he said smugly.

"What?" she wondered if the slow talk was for a child in the room.

The balding councilman leaned onto the table, "What Prince Wu is trying to say, Yue, is that these last few months Kuvira has created quite a following with the people. She protects them and gives them food while you rub elbows with the World Leaders. They like her more and you don't like it. So you started making trouble. Doesn't that behavior remind you of Avatar Korra when you showed up?"

"Trouble?" she was astounded by how much stupid was in the room.

"Like trying to convince us she's a threat."

"Or suggesting a change of government? Kings and queens have ruled the Earth Kingdom for thousands of years."

Their voices were meshing together, their faces a blur, "Don't you think a more modern democratic system like the one we have in Republic City would be better for the people?

"Why are you so against us?" one of them lectured, "The Water Tribes have chiefs, the Fire Nation has a Fire Lord, and the Air Nation…well they have Tenzin. What's wrong with the Earth Kingdom having a King. Everyone likes it."

"No one likes it except you," Yully growled.

"Yue," President Raiko interjected, "we decided that it'd be best to close that discussion so not to repeat your mistake of challenging the Avatar."

"That's completely different!"

"Yue," a blubbery condescending voice reached her ears, "we have been very accommodating to you but you need to learn that some people know what's best for you even though you don't."

Yully slammed her fists on the table, spilling their wine goblets, "And what do you know about me?"

"Yue!" President Raiko scolded, "you're becoming hysterical."

"You best believe it I am! I've been out there for over a year. Away from my home, family, and friends. It's been my life helping these people and if I can't-" she choked on her words. She was getting emotional and making a fool of herself. Kuvira's words of warning echoed in her head. She had been right, Kuvira was absolute right. Yully's nostrils began to sting as they all stared at her from their seats. The circular table brimmed around her, she was still in the pit. Kicking her chair away, she stormed out of the room.


	32. Book 4: Episode 2

**Episode 2: KORRA ALONE**

'Yully has learned the ability of flight and how to bend platinum and mercury. She says that just like everything, it needs practice and time to learn how to overcome anything.' Korra let Asami's letter slip out of her hand. _Yully_ _…_

The smallest pile of letters she had received were from Yully. Whose near illegible scribbled sentences at the beginning had progressed into pages of her scattered thought process. In barely legible writing. She had sent Korra packages of tea and ointments from every nations medicine guru. In all the letters of her concern for Korra's health and yoga instructions, not once did she mention the success with her bending abilities or reestablishing the Earth Nation to a functioning society. And not once did she offer a retelling of her own feelings to comfort Korra; to know she wasn't alone. Korra knew that she and Yully had both been through the ringer on feeling weak and unwanted. The world had gone on without Yully and now the world was going on with Korra. And although they shared this misfortune, they couldn't speak of it to each other. Korra couldn't write back to Yully about feeling sorry for herself and envious of how well she was doing. Korra doubted that even if she asked Yully of her past feelings that Yully would even be able to tell her. Either by not wanting to or didn't know how to explain herself, Korra didn't blame her. Yully had hidden those memories and Korra couldn't ask her to relive them, even if that meant sharing them. _Yully got through it on her own_ _…maybe that's the real misfortune._ So Korra shared her feelings with Asami.


	33. Book 4: Episode 3

**Episode 3: THE CORONATION**

The new Earth Kingdom palace was elegant but smaller than the original. The new palace was build in the same place but the edges of the paved memorial outline stuck out all around. It bordered the new palace and its courtyard with a memorial platform. Prince Wu's coronation would be taking place on the platform. Mako stood about as Wu ran around the platform yelling at different workers for different things. He tried to remember what it looked like the last time he was there.

"Ah Mako," President Raiko strolled up to him.

Mako bowed, "Mister President."

They watched as Wu was trying to show a poor worker how a badger-mole dances.

Raiko nodded towards Wu, "So are you prepared to be the bodyguard of the future Earth King?"

"Yes sir I am," Mako hesitated to ask but had to, "But I wonder sir if he is prepared to be the Earth King."

Raiko laughed haughtily, "You're starting to sound like Yue. I know he's…young but he'll learn," he reassured.

Across the courtyard on the stage Yully was lying in the center appearing to be napping. Mako noted an odd gardener who had been trimming the hedge plants for a good half hour after the hedge was trimmed.

"Sir do you notice anything off about that gardener?," Mako nodded towards the hedge that ran alongside the stage.

Raiko chuckled, "You are a sharp one aren't you," he clapped Mako on the back then nodded toward the gardener, "Don't mind him. Just a precaution you see," his eyes settled on Yully.

Mako chose his words carefully, "But sir, the Red Lotus is gone. Who would want to hurt her?"

The President kept his eyes on Yully, "More concerned about it the other way around son," then continued to walk around the premise. Leaving Mako to wonder who he should be watching; Yully, the President, or Wu? Who was now belting out a verse of his coronation song.

 **SWAMP**

Korra wished they were back out in the cold hairy mud. At least she wouldn't have to endure this searing hot pain coursing through her body. Every time Toph tried to bend the mercury out of her blood, it would cauterize the tranquility of the cave. And after the pain had passed she would be thrown back into the cold swamp cave sweating.

"You're resisting," Toph grumbled, "Don't you even want to get better?"

Taking an already damp worn towel off a stone Korra hastily wiped the cold sweat off her face, "Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"

Toph sat on her rock, kicking her feet up, "So you can have an excuse to not be the Avatar?"

The towel paused, hiding her face for a second before it was thrown down to the ground, "Excuse? Like my bending being taken away then Raava and all my past lives taken from me and _then_ a past Avatar walking about wasn't a good enough excuse?! No, but a lil' bit of poison is where I give up and start making excuses. Right!" Pushing off the ground she paced around the cave like it was a cage.

As usual, Toph was nonchalant, "Don't be such a drama queen. Did you think fixing Aangs' mistakes were going to be easy? Picking up after a mess like that takes heart kid, but you're just about as worn out as that rag."

Still pacing, Korra swung about to walk in front on Toph again, "Aang saved the world."

"Oh sure…if you call disappearing for 100 years, letting the Fire Nation take over and destroy thousands of lives and done neared exterminated the Air Nomads, if you call that 'saving the world'…well then I guess he did a pretty bang up job." Seeing as Korra's pacing had stopped Toph swung her feet down and leaned forward, "Listen kid…he did what he could putting things back together, but you gotta get your butt in gear to make sure it doesn't fall apart."

"What do you think I'm doing here!" Korra held her arms out defenselessly.

"You're trying to bum the job off to Yully. How much longer you plan to let her do your job?"

Korra looked down ashamed to meet Toph's gaze, "I didn't plan any of this."

Toph scoffed, "Like that matters. Your sick leave is over!" she stood up and walked past Korra towards the outside.

"Yully's doing fine," Korra looked around the cave not wanting to leave. She yelled after Toph, "I need more time to heal!"

Toph stopped at the mouth of the cave, hands on her hips and sighed, "You Avatars have a funny way of seeing things. Cuz Yully did do a fine job of destroying the Queen's palace." Toph slowly walked back to Korra, "Did she even make sure you and the air-benders were safe before uprooting the place? Or did she collapse just as completely as the palace?" Toph pointed an accusing finger at Korra, "And you left her in charge of the world."

Korra pushed away the image of the world in ruins at Yully's fingertips. How close that was to be. _No that was before, she_ _'s better now_ , "She's stable-" Korra tried to swat her finger away but Toph was too fast.

"Right now but who knows what'll set her off. See here genius she may be stronger here," Toph pointed to her palm, "but she's broken here," Toph's finger settled gently on Korra's forehead. Then rapped her knuckles against Korra's forehead, "While you're so hard headed I gotta tell you ya a dozen times before you listen."

Toph made her way outside the cave with Korra following her rubbing her head.

 **FLASHBACK: ONE WEEK AGO**

Outside of Ba Sing Se set up by an airway strip and railroad crossing was Kuvira's headquarters. It was a convoy of trucks, airships and rail cars temporary settled in a green field with tents pitched up here and there. In the largest tent Kuvira stood at her maps table overlooking the last details for her next village contract. Sensing someone unwelcoming approaching she placed the contract in a drawer and posed to be examining her maps.

"Kuvira!" Yully burst through the tent flaps, "What is happening in Gaoling?" glancing down at the map the Earth Kingdom, Gaoling was posted with a yellow flag. It had been Kuvira's last town she had visited by record of the map. "I was in Makapu when I got a call from Gaoling's governor. He says your soldiers are withholding their rations and aren't doing anything about the hillside raiders!"

Kuvira waited expectantly to hear the problem, "And?"

Yully set both hands on the table and leaned forward, "Why are your troops harboring rations and withholding protection?!"

Kuvira had hoped this could have been brought up in a better light, "They haven't signed their contract."

"What contract?" she enunciated every syllable.

"The contract that allows my army to protect them," Kuvira held her hands behind her back, "if they proclaim loyalty to me."

"To you?!" the maps crinkled under her hands.

Kuvira nodded reassuringly, "And to you of course."

"Why is this the first time I'm hearing of this?"

"I thought we had an understanding," she gestured to a pile of treaties Yully had signed with the towns and cities elected governors, "You handle the paperwork," then to a crate of rations in the corner, "and I handle the grunt work."

Yully stalked around the table, "I set up negotiations between cities and villages to make sure that necessary care is available to everyone. Your soldiers were to make sure they followed those negotiations!"

Kuvira turned to face Yully head on, "And they do, once the town has signed their contract."

"Never was there a contract for them to sign over their loyalty."

Tilting her head, Kuvira reassured, "There has always been one."

"I never approved of that!" she leaned away, not wanting it to be true.

"Yully, it comes with the territory of being a leader. Their loyalty is a sign of respect."

"I am not their leader!"

Kuvira looked at her in confidence, "No but you could be."

Yully recoiled from the thought, "So I could have all my life's decisions be reviewed and processed by a council?"

"Doesn't the council you're on do that already?"

"I'm a respected council member!"

"They use you and they don't appreciate you Yully. They keep you close so they can keep an eye on you. They only let you do the things they want you to do. They don't listen to your ideas. They only gave you two years to clean up their mess. You do whatever they tell you to do and you don't ask for anything in return!"

"And what exactly should I be asking for?"

Kuvira sat down comfortably in her chair, "Power."

Thinking for a moment Yully shook her head, "I have power."

"You have the authority they allow you to have. Look how much you've accomplished these last two years alone! Imagine what you could do if you had all the power," she got a devious look in her eye, "Say the power of a empress?"

Scoffing at the idea Yully was waiting for the punchline, "I can't proclaim myself ruler of an empire!"

Opening a drawer Kuvira pulled out a single sheet of paper and slid it over to Yully, "The towns, villages, and cities under my protection have my and therefore your allegiance. You can do whatever you want."

Yully scanned through the document; _every man, woman, and child_ _…swear loyalty and obedience…to Kuvira for the protection…and to serve the ruler of the nation…election or by force…that Kuvira is loyal to…_ It was a short yet precise contract except to whom the ruler was they pledged their allegiance. As long as they swore loyalty to Kuvira, they would swear loyalty to whomever she was loyalty to. She reread it, wanting to have misread it, but she had read it perfectly.

Yully pushed the paper away, "But there already is a ruler!"

Kuvira reiterated, "There is a council of old rich power that puppeteers that naive spoiled brat in order to get what they want. They're a laughing stock following behind that joke on the throne." She leaned forward in her chair, "Isn't this what you wanted? To dethrone him?"

Yully shook her head nervously, "Not by overthrowing him!"

"You said 'he will frivolously corrupt what we have worked so hard to built'. As long as he's not on the throne, does it matter how we get him off of it?"

"Yes! It does matter. We'd be disrespecting the name and the honor of the Earth Kingdom!"

Kuvira stood up, towering over Yully, "So is Wu and his entourage. But I will remind the people what a true ruler does for their nation. Together," she raised a clenched fist to her chest, "we can establish the nation back to its former glory!" then unraveled her fingers carelessly, "But you want to give that power back to Wu? To have him destroy it?" She grasped Yully's shoulders, "I know you can't do that to these people, neither can I. This is how we save them."

Yully stared from the corner of her eye," What about Korra?"

Kuvira almost laughed, "Korra's the Avatar. You'll be an Empress. But you're someone who knows what life's like in the gutter. We know what it's like to have nothing," she lightly pushed Yully away, "And now that you've actually built something you don't want it?"

"I'd be declaring war on the kingdom," Yully challenged.

"Isn't the future worth a war?"

"Not by overthrowing a king, starting a war and causing innocent people to suffer!"

Kuvira's hard life glinted in her eyes, "Innocent people are already suffering. At least this way they'll be suffering for a better cause."

"You're not serious!" Yully shouted.

"Why aren't you? The Avatar's been gone for almost two years! The Earth Nation believes in us. They need us! Not that inadequate—"

"Stop Kuvira, just stop," Yully held up her hands, not wanting to touch anything else, "I'm done with whatever this is. It ends now!"

"You can't stop the stone from falling once you pushed it off the cliff, Yully. You can't stop the inevitable!"

Yully tilted her chin up, "I've died twice. Nothings inevitable to me," then turned to leave.

"I don't need you, you know!" Kuvira threatened, "I already have everything I need. And if you stand against me, the stone will strike you first."

"Don't flatter yourself Kuvira," Yully stood firm, "You can't stop me. Nor can the dozen soldiers you have outside this tent." Strangled breathing from the hidden soldiers warned Kuvira, "If you wanted to ambush me you should have brought the entire army."

Enraged Kuvira swung her arm out, "You arrogant—" but her armor she wore stopped midair. The metal neck collar from her uniform clung tightly around her neck. She gasped for air.

Yully stood above her, hands shaking slightly from holding all those collars, "Its not arrogance if its true. I can end you right now if I wanted to. And not your strength or your army could save you. Not even if you mustered up all your energy and machines energy, it'd be a pathetic attempt," but after glancing Kuvira up and down, Yully lightened her hold, "But I'm not like you." A fit of coughing surrounded the tent as Yully knelt down besides Kuvira, still in her grasp, "And don't mistake this as mercy because if you oppose me in anyway, you and your fleet of soldiers will be as silent and hollow as your precious mecha suits."

Then without looking back Yully walked out of the tent and calmly flew into the sky. It was a good minute before the her hold on Kuvira was let go.

 **PRESENT**

It was a busy morning of the Coronation. First there was freak flooding the day before that put hundreds of people out of their homes. Then in the early morning there was a landslide in the same area. The mixture of the red clay and water crept down the streets and into more homes. By the time the Coronation about to begin a third of the estimated amount of people actually showed up. Prince Wu was disappointed from the scattered applauds to say the least. For Kuvira however the crowd roared with support. The propaganda that had been spread all over the city for the past year of her work and accomplishments had made her somewhat of an idol.

She bowed sincerely, "Don't forget that none of my achievements could have happened without the support and help from the Silver Avatar!" she gestured toward Yully who was shaken from glowering in her seat on the sideline. The crowd applauded and yelled with such gusto that Yully was compelled to stand up and wave. When the crowd quieted Kuvira continued, "Thank you for all your support, it means a great deal to me to know that my efforts weren't wasted. These past two years have shown me how desperately the Earth Nation needed Yue's and my help. To make sure there was food on the table every day. That there was clean water to drink. A roof over every family. Neither Yue or I had that growing up. So I am going to make it be that that doesn't have to happen to you or to your children anymore. Under a king's rule, power is granted through lineage, it ensures that power isn't granted to those most capable. I declare that power should be held by those most capable. I declare that the time for hungry families while royals sit fat and happy to be over. I declare a new structure of power. From this day forth the Earth Empire shall stand tall, proud, and strong!" the crowd screamed in a muddle of cheers and applauds. In the excitement only a few of them realized what was being said.

A storm of reporters camera flashes blinded the row of world leaders into more confusion. They were just getting their bearings when a line of metal-benders stood before and behind them. The only gap in the line was filled by Kuvira's silhouette, "Step forward those who will stand beside me in my reign for a more secure future."

Just as suddenly as the applauds erupted did it get snuffed out. The audience held their cheers when they saw what was happening. This wasn't what they wanted. It was too quick, too fast, they didn't know what was going on. But the other lines of metal-benders bordering the crowd silenced any thoughts of opposition.

This was what force meant, Kuvira had realized so many years ago. Submission. If she was willing to fight for it and she won it then she earned it. She had a good peaceful future in mind. Did it matter how she made that future happen? She didn't think so.

When the audience was at it's most quietest and the world leaders were at the edge of their seats, the center of the stage exploded with smoke and fireworks. The mad frenzy of people broke through the metal-benders border. The metal-benders didn't even try to stop them as they pushed their way towards the world leaders. The smoke cloud lite up with sparks of blue, red, and yellow as Kuvira's metal-benders tried to fan their way out. When the smoke cleared and they saw that they were all alone, with no leaders to overtake and no people to rule over. They declared it a victory and cheered.


	34. Book 4: Episode 4

**Episode 4: THE CALLING**

 **SWAMP**

They had been at this for hours. Toph blindsiding Korra with a splash of mud out of nowhere.

Toph sighed disappointedly for the 100th time that day, "Out of all the other Avatar's I've worked with you're by far the worst. And that's including Yully." Another splash of mud hit Korra upside the head.

"Hey-wait you met Yully? When?" Korra wiped the glob of mud off her head.

"At Zuko's funeral last year."

Korra bowed her head regretting she had asked. She had gotten an invitation but she couldn't work up the courage to go on crutches.

Toph continued, "Knew it was going to be dull, his dinner parties were always a snooze fest but…I wanted to give my respects. And since Yully was going to be there I wanted to see for myself if this girl was all she was cracked up to be."

Korra almost didn't want to ask, "And was she?"

"Don't know, she wouldn't fight me," Toph said grumpily, "Said she wasn't worthy of it, blah blah honor crap. What a suck up. All she wanted to do was some weird stretching thing."

Korra smiled, "Yeah she does that."

Then Toph began to mimic the stretches Yully did, "But it did manage to pop my hip back in place so gotta give her credit for that. But it sure did bum out the funeral for me."

 **REPUBLIC CITY**

Yully had made sure to get an apartment that overlooked the city. She loved heights even when she wasn't flying. It made her feel big and small at the same time. But looking out over the landscape now made her feel so insignificant. The President had ordered that no one was to evacuate the city for fear of being caught, or joining, Kuvira's Army despite three explosions happening around the city. More homes were destroyed and the people were scared. Miraculously no one was injured but the world leaders were outraged. Yesterday's coronation had left them all stunned. The fireworks were Yully's plan for celebration but luckily she had the detonator in hand to cause a distraction. After getting the world leaders to safety she went back for Kuvira, but she had fled the city; roaming about in her mobile headquarters.

But new reports of her convoy had Yully don on her blue flight suit with black trim. Custom ordered so she could blend into the sky easier. Although she had never worn it for this type of mission before. What ever this mission may turn out to be. _Stealth, peace-treaty, battle?_

A firm and steady set of footsteps approached her door, "Come in Lin," she called out before the knock.

Lin entered shaking her head. She had always half admired half envied Yully's talent for…everything, "Yully, I got—are you going somewhere?" she stared at Yully halfway in her suit as she continued packing her bag.

Yully stuffed in some snacks for the day flight, "Zaofu. Kuvira's army-"

"-headed that way," Lin had sent a runner to inform the President but she wanted to tell Yully directly.

"Less than two days," Yully pulled back her hair and wrapped it in a tight bun.

"You'll miss the council meeting," Lin warned.

"Like they'd listen to me anyway."

Lin watched as Yully tied up her bag, "Suyin will not surrender the city."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that but I'm going to ask her to evacuate the city," Yully pushed her arms into the suit, "Do you think she will?"

Lin raised her eyebrows, "That's like asking a mountain to move."

Shrugging, Yully pulled on her backpack, "Well I'll see what damage I can do."

"The good damage if you can."

Yully stood to attention and saluted, "Chief."

"And Yully," Lin hesitated to ask until Yully was almost at the door, "I got word that President Raiko will be asking you to stay neutral in this conflict."

Yully's eyes drifted out the window to the lingering smoke above the city, "Neutral—indifferent. They won't be able to ignore her when she's at their door."

She opened the door and leaped over the railing down the stairs. Falling down the 10 stories she heard her name being called somewhere around the 4th floor. Looking back up she saw Mako already on his way back down.

"I was on my way up to—you're leaving?" he stalled on the third floor before running down the last two flights.

"Your detective skills never cease to amaze me," Yully looked around suspiciously.

"How can you leave with all these attacks?"

"Because," Yully pushed him into a small alcove and lowered her voice, "Kuvira is marching onto Zaofu."

No matter how she got her information, it was always right, "What? When?"

"Two days."

She made it sound like it wasn't urgent but more of an inevitable deadline, "Are you going to stop her?"

Yully shook her head, "It won't do any good, but I have to talk to her."

She took a step out into the street but Mako grabbed her jacket sleeve. He looked up and asked somberly, "Do you think…you can talk to that idiot brother of mine too?"

Pulling him in for a quick hug she left him with, "I'll do what I can."

Jogging out into the street she was met by a prim Prince Wu, "Ah Avatar Yue, President Raiko would like a word with you now before the council meeting."

Yully nodded her head and smiled, "Sure I'll just be right back." Then taking a running start, flew up and disappeared into the sky.

Looking up after her, Wu leaned over towards Mako, "She'll be back in like what five-six minutes?"

But Mako wasn't listening. He didn't even notice the seemingly ordinary man in the alley run off towards the President's office. Mako was looking at his hand that had some odd red clay flakes on it. _How_ _…what?_ His head shot back up to the sky searching, but realizing that was pointless he took off in a run.


	35. Book 4: Episode 5

**Episode 5: ENEMY AT THE GATES**

Flying into the city of Zaofu, Korra saw just how considerable Kuvira's Army was. The green fields had turned metallic gray; a valley of ash with airships and rail-cars bordering the hundreds of mecha-suit soldiers. Crossing into No Man's Land Korra had no idea what she could say to Kuvira to stop this invasion. It was already here. When she landed Suyin was waiting for her and was polite enough considering her city was surrounded.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to Kuvira and stop this rebellion." Korra tried to sound convincing. But she barely had herself on her side.

Suyin however gave her a warm smile, "You're not the only one," and nodded to an official looking woman standing off to one side.

Korra looked at her for a long moment before recognizing her as Yully. She walked up to her for closer inspection then embraced her. They laughed, realizing it had been a long time since either of them had had a good laugh.

"Look at you," Korra looked her up and down, "with the hair and all that shoulder!" Korra was amazed at how well she looked; brown knee-high boots with white pants and a low collar red shirt.

"And you!" she flicked Korra's hair back, "Rocking the short hair!"

They marveled at each other. Each had the same thought but neither said it aloud. They really had switched places from when they first met some three years ago.

"You look great!" Yully hugged Korra again. Knowing how much she'd been through, she was happy to have Korra here.

"You too," Korra broke the hug, hoping she wasn't too late, "So have you…?

Yully shook her head, "No she'll be coming in an hour to talk."

"To give us orders," Suyin corrected with a hint of annoyance that made Yully look down. She then lead the girls away to discuss the meeting. She had been a supporter of Kuvira since the beginning but since Kuvira's declaration of war and her march onto Zaofu, Suyin took it as a personal treachery.

 **LATER**

Kuvira's demands were just as Suyin expected. No matter the demands, there was no way that'd she surrender the city. They stood in the empty space of No Man's Land with an army on one side and the city on the other. Suyin refused Yully's plea for a city-wide evacuation, but agreed to let those incapable of fighting to evacuate somewhere safe. For the people who did fight, Suyin swore that they would fight Kuvira until the city was melted into the ground.

Kuvira however seemed unfazed by Suyin's stubbornness as she directed her attention to Yully, "And it is a pleasant surprise to have you joining us today Yully. Your presence will make this so much more revealing."

Kuvira tossed a bundle of scrolls to Suyin. The scrolls depicted detailed notes and diagrams of Zaofu's escape routes, secret tunnels, and weak points. Suyin flipped through the scrolls in disbelief as confidential information that even Baatar Jr was unaware of were scrawled down. The last few scrolls were outlines of different invasion strategies for the city.

"Your handwriting is abysmal Yully, but you're battle plan drawings are quite illuminating." Kuvira triumphantly complimented.

Suyin clutched the scrolls then threw them into Yully's face, "What is this?"

Yully unclenched her jaw but couldn't meet her gaze, "Suyin, I drew those up right after the Red Lotus, I was upset! And I made those plans for you to show you Zaofu's vulnerability."

"I never saw them!"

"I gave them to you months ago!"

A recollection of Yully's last trip to Zaofu: She did hand over the plans to Suyin but Baatar Jr had swapped them out while Suyin wasn't looking for the discarded letters Huan had sent Yully. Suyin didn't think anything of it. She assumed that Yully didn't want to keep them but couldn't throw them out.

Kuvira interrupted their memories, "As you can see Suyin those scrolls mark every tunnel, weak position and foothold in Zaofu. We can hit you at any of those critical points and Zaofu will be defenseless. Surrender the city or the consequences will be on your hands. As I am a generous leader I will give you 24 hours to respond under a friendly truce." And with that she left them speechless.

Back in Zaofu, Suyin looked over every scroll with an invasion plan and each one resulted in a successful take over. Yully was frantically redrawing the scenarios where the invasion would fail but there were less of them and Kuvira had had months to study and alter the plans.

"What are the weak points in Kuvira's Army?" Suyin demanded.

Yully didn't look up from her work, "I don't know," she said quietly.

"What?" she scolded. It was only her, Korra, and Yully in her office but the pressure from the outside made the room unbearably small.

"I don't know," Yully shouted, "I never was in her army, saw a formation, or an attack plan. I didn't even know she had this many airships and rail-cars."

"How could you possibly not know!" she accused.

Yully slapped down the pen and glared back at Suyin, "Oh I don't know maybe because I was busy negotiating treaties between every village and town in the Earth Kingdom for them not to go into total chaos like Ba Sing Se!"

"Well you did a great job. Especially by handing the plans-"

"I didn't hand them over!"

"Well you might as well have," Suyin shoved the scrolls off her desk, "what other cities did you exploit to her?"

They stared at the silence coming from Yully's agape mouth as she stared at the wall.

"You didn't…" Korra dreaded.

"When I learned of Kuvira's plan…I drew a rough outline of a defensive strategy for Republic City," she admitted to the floor.

"For crying out loud!" Suyin tore her eyes from Yully.

"I gave them to President Raiko! There's no way she could get to them!" she looked up to see that no one was looking at her.

"We have to get a call out to him," Korra confided to Suyin.

But she waved towards the fields of metal, "We haven't been able to contact anyone since-that!"

"I can go-" Yully started but was cut off.

"You've done enough!" Suyin punched a button on her desk. The doors opened to a saluting guard. "I don't want her farther than your reach. Understand!"

The poor guard frighteningly glanced at Yully before looking helplessly back at Suyin, but she knew what really tied Yully down. Yully stood petrified as she looked at Suyin and Korra pleadingly.

But Korra couldn't meet her gaze, she couldn't-didn't want to help her. It had taken Korra years to trust Yully, and now that was all gone. She thought she could trust Yully while she was healing, but Yully had taken advance of her absence. She had made alliances with this threat that would ruin everything Korra had worked for. And whether Yully had meant to or not, she had helped Kuvira.

Suyin motioned for the guard to come forward. Seeing her limp ambition the guard grasped Yully's scarred arm and lead her out of the room.


	36. Book 4: Episode 6

**Episode 6: KUVIRA** **'S STANDOFF**

 **At Korra/Kuvira standoff Jinora tells Korra she isn** **'t ready.**

"Tenzin told me that life's challenges always come without warning and without being ready for them, but you need to face them anyway." Really Yully had told her that but Tenzin was there when she said it.

 **KORRA/KUVIRA FIGHT**

As Opal kept up the tornado barrier, Jinora called for help. But Kuvira's mecha-soldiers were slowly making their way through the barrier. Coming back Jinora knelt beside Korra and yelled for her to wake up, but Korra remain unconscious stuck in the rock. Just as one of the mecha-soldiers was fully in the tornado and raised its arm, a gust of wind shot down at it and blew it backwards out of the tornado. Blowing the two other mecha-soldiers backwards, Yully rolled out of her descend from the tornado's eye. Yully stomped down the rock surrounding Korra and dragged her over to Opal. Not being able to hear themselves speak, Yully pointed toward the city. Incoming for the rescue were Meelo and Ikki on a bison. Kuvira had seen them too and ordered her soldiers to bring them down. Ikki and Meelo were able to deflect the flying rocks and wires but the bison wouldn't be able to make it down into the tornado. Yully pushed Jinora towards Opal and pointed upward while she took over the tornado. Having no other choice Opal and Jinora held Korra between them as they let a gust of rising wind take them skyward.

When the tornado died down Kuvira marched directly to Yully who was waiting patiently for her while being surrounded by the mecha-soldiers.

"If you're not too exhausted, could you spare a few minutes?" Yully asked casually.

Kuvira was snarling with her fists clenched, "Fight me!"

Yully looked questioningly at her then Kuvira felt an invisible hold on her armor and even a slight but definite tug in her very veins.

As if answering her mental question Yully coolly explained, "Challenging an opponent who's weaker than you is dishonorable. So I won't challenge you or your army." The pressure released, "I merely want to talk."

Reconstructing her plans, she firmly nodded then turned toward her army, "Go on and secure the city!" then back to Yully, "In good faith that you will not compromise me in any way?"

"Only you can do that." Yully followed Kuvira as she made her way back to her tent. The marching soldiers parted like water around them.

Sitting opposite of Kuvira at her desk, Yully could see the ends of her scrolls that held defeat for an invasion on Zaofu sticking out from under a pile of paper. Next to which sat a photograph of Baatar Jr.

"I hear you're getting married. Congratulations," Yully started off.

Without a smile Kuvira coldly bragged, "Thank you. He's a brilliant man and weapons expert."

"I see he is," she glanced at the marching army then back at Kuvira, "He's so lucky to have _you_ pulling at his heartstrings."

"How do you like the latest mecha-soldier model?" Kuvira asked.

"Metal is metal," Yully noted the hint of a smirk Kuvira tried to hide. She changed direction, "I was married once, didn't quite agree with me."

"Not many people do apparently," she leaned back as if in thought, "I heard President Raiko fired you from his council."

"I'm not here on Raiko's request."

"So why are you?" she snapped.

Leaning forward Yully asked, "Why did you use me?"

She didn't flinch at Kuvira's howl of laughter, "You want to ask me that? I didn't think I hurt your feeling that much."

"I thought you were my friend," she checked her emotions, "I want to know why someone who claims to be so honorable, back stab the one who helped her get what she wanted."

Kuvira looked at her from afar, "You played your part well Yully, just like Prince Wu did. I merely sat back and waited for my opportunity. Back stabbed, used, they're pretty small words in a time of war."

"Then what would you call exploiting my influence to build your army? To use my connections to get people to trust you."

"Surviving," she put simply, "you lived on the streets too Yully. If you're not at the top then you're being stepped on."

Yully looked out at the metal field, "And how many steps did you take creating your weapon?"

"The mecha-suits are to protect my soldiers."

"And what of your spirit weapon? Who's that supposed to protect?" Yully stared dead-pan at Kuvira's frozen figure, "There's more spiritual energy in your army than a temple. So what are they worshiping out there?"

Kuvira knew it was pointless to deny it so she stared out toward the field, "Well we had to come up with something with more spirit and energy than you."

"Your perversion of spiritual energy," she felt it out there, but it was wrong, rancid and spoiled.

"You thought it was a good idea." Kuvira settled deeper into her chair.

"Not as a weapon, as a power source. Varrick envisioned clean energy that would run the city while its people would meditate in the spirit forest. To give the energy back."

"And I'll make sure that happens, when I'm in power," Kuvira said stubbornly.

"You can't simply take power away from something as big as the Earth Kingdom or the spirit forest then wield it as your own."

"Actually I can."

"You gain nothing for yourself by taking away from others," Yully had to provoke her, "You're as selfish as Wu."

Kuvira twisted her gaze onto Yully, "Don't insult me. He can't see anything beyond his reflection."

"Because making yourself a dictator is for the good of the people, right?"

Kuvira narrowed her eyes, "I don't understand. You're the one who told me Wu shouldn't be in power."

"And neither should you," Yully said flatly.

Clutching the armrests, Kuvira leaned forward, "I've helped the Earth Kingdom become strong and united. I'm smarter and stronger and actually care for the people. I've earned the right to rule! Wu doesn't deserve anything!"

Yully stared wide-eyed at a reflection of what she used to be. A warped distorted image of herself when she was angry and scared. She saw what she could have been. Looking away, Yully knew this was what Kuvira needed and didn't want to hear, "You're not meant to rule. Not the way you want to anyway."

"And Wu is?"

"No but he has to be the one to decide that, not you." Unlike her situation, which was a freak accident on top of coincidence, anyone could be in power with enough force. "He knows he isn't fit to rule, we just need to speak to-"

"Talk to them? Yeah, and how'd that turn out for you?" she pointed her finger at Yully then jabbed at the armrest, "You have to understand that those Earth Councilmen like where they're at, on top and in power. They don't want to be challenged because they don't want it to change."

"It has changed, the whole world has changed," she said desperately.

"Because of a violent turn of events," Kuvira held her arms out toward her army.

"And look how devastated it became. It was much worse than what it was."

"Things get worse before they get better."

"You haven't," Yully slightly shook her head, "You've been getting worse and worse ever since violent changes took your parents away. And look at the damaged you've caused. You've united the people but through fear, and that hold is weak."

Kuvira glared hideously at her, "On the contrary, fear has a rather strong hold. Look at its grasp on Korra."

"You can overcome fear, you just need to accept it and let it go. But the hold of loyalty is stronger."

"Yours maybe, but what about Korra's or Suyin's loyalty to you?"

She glared and quickly retorted before Kuvira's remark sunk in, "You proclaimed loyalty to the Avatar and to Wu when this mission began and you betrayed them. You betrayed Suyin after she took you in and raised you. You betrayed me. How can your soldiers be loyal to a leader who sacrifices those closest to her without remorse or qualm?"

"Blindly."

Falling back in her chair Yully accepted the fact, "It's too late for you, isn't it?"

"It's too late for the Earth Kingdom," she passionately stated.

Standing, Yully looked at Kuvira one last time, "I will make sure your army dissolves within your grasp and obliterate you out of existence."

Existing the tent she looked out over Zaofu and the metal soldiers patrolling its streets. _Suyin was upset and Korra didn_ _'t understand. That's why they didn't hear me out. It was all just a misunderstanding._ She convinced herself. Turning around she made her way steadily through the reserved lines of soldiers. They did not part for her but they did not stop her.


	37. Book 4: Episode 7

**Episode 7: GETTING HOME**

Bolin and Varrick had been trekking through the mountains for a few hours now.

"We're doomed!" Varrick wailed. Avoiding the mountain path was an agreed upon path, but Varrick had failed to mention that he, Bolin, would be carrying him, Varrick. Who was now yelling. Having enough, Bolin dropped Varrick then dropped himself beneath a shady tree.

"Calm down, we should reach Republic City in a few days…without food…or a warm fluffy bed." He was falling into despair.

"And without Zhu Lee!" Varrick whined as he fell back into the dirt, "It's hopeless. There's no point to continue on," he raised his arms to the sky, "Strike me down O Great Spirits for I have lost the will to live."

A shadow pasted before the sun. An inhuman noise sailed throughout the air. The sound came from Varrick, who was now wrapped around Bolin like a scarf. The shadow however blocked out the sun again and again as the men sunk lower into the brush.

Then right before their eyes, a piece of the sky fell to the ground. And then it called out to them, "Bolin! Varrick!"

Their heads popped out above the brush. Seeing clearly, they saw Yully wearing a sky-blue flight suit waving at them.

"Yully!" Bolin jumped out of the bushes and nearly right on top of her, "We thought you were the enemy!"

She looked back towards Zaofu, "I guess that depends on who you talk to."

"What are you doing out here?"

"Failed negotiations with Kuvira, you?"

Varrick stepped in to answer, "Failed everything. She forced me into making this giant weapon out of spirit energy. She used my idea and made a weapon out of it. But we blew it up right then and there and escaped. But Zhu Lee has betrayed me! And we're being chased by Kuvira's mecha-soldier scouts."

Yully nodded sympathetically, "Sounds like a drag. You hungry?"

"Yes!" they said at once.

"Me too, let's start walking," Yully hadn't had time to refill her bag at Zaofu and so led the way towards the mountain path.

 **LATER**

After a few quick dodges into the brush from soldier patrols they came upon a village that was 'protected' by Kuvira's Army.

"You think they'll have food?" Bolin drooled.

"If they do they need it more than we do. Lets go," Yully started through the trees but commotion within the village caught her attention. The villagers were yelling for their rations, then there was an electric crackle in the air, and the yelling quieted. Sighing heavily Yully turned back around and made a beeline for the village, "Okay fine, lets do this quick."

And it would have been quick, if not for this particular village being made up of imprisoned fire-benders and their families. And this particular village was being guarded by mecha-soldiers suited with a secret weapon. Once Bolin created a barrier between the families and the guards, Yully attempted to throw the mecha-soldiers backwards. But she couldn't move them. She felt the suits were made of common metal, and yet there was something she could not recognize. Either way, she stood moronically before three mecha-soldiers. Working together Bolin and Yully were able to fight off the regular guards, but the mecha-soldiers were too agile and strong. Thankfully Varrick had be conniving during their fight. He had rigged up a sort of electric pulse rod from the mecha-suit charging station and planted it into the ground. An electric shock originated from the rod and rendered all three of the suits immobilized.

Before heading out of the village they unloaded the rations cart to give to the villages, excluding the ones they took for the road. On their way out Yully picked up a sample of the strange glassy metal that the mecha-suits were made out of.


	38. Book 4: Episode 8

**Episode 8: REUNION**

Jumping off of the back of a farming truck Bolin, Varrick and Yully ran towards Raiko's office. A few blocks before reaching the building however they ran into a familiar face.

"Mako!" Bolin squeezed him tightly, "oh I'm so sorry you were 100 percent right about Kuvira. She is a monster!"

"A power-hungry maniac!" input Varrick. Yully surprisingly stayed quiet during this exchange of insults and pleasantries.

Instead she waited for a quiet moment to ask, "Where's Korra?"

"Not sure," Mako looked them all up and down, "But they're having a World Leaders meeting in two hours if you wanna—"

They saw the dust trail of where Varrick had been standing with a single word echoing back to them: bath.

Mako turned to Bolin, "You should take a bath too, Opals here."

Bolin's eyes lite up for a second before Yully cut in, "Forget the meeting, we need to tell Raiko now!" as she began to drag Bolin towards Raiko's office.

Shrugging Mako called after them, "Okay I can let Opal know her traitorous boyfriend didn't explain himself while he could—" and in the blink of an eye Bolin shed off Yully and ran towards Lin's house.

Now empty handed Yully looked back at him, "What was that about?"

To which Mako stuffed his hands in his pockets and trivially mentioned, "I found out who was behind the city bombings."

Yully glanced passed him then back at him, "You thirsty?" and without waiting she headed down the street with Mako following a step behind her.

It was very crowded at the Jasmine Dragon tea shop so to pass the time until their tea arrived Yully showed him the metal sample. He was also stumped at what it could be if not metal. But there was an earth-bender at the next table so they asked him. He mentioned that he once knew a sword maker with a sword that felt similar. He said the sword was metal with infused glass. He said it was called it metallic glass and that it was three times stronger than steel; too pricey for him.

"Lovely," Yully flipped the sample between her fingers. When their tea arrived Yully began, "So how'd you find out?" she slowly stirred some honey into her tea.

"A hunch," Mako took milk.

Clinking the spoon into the saucer dish, Yully sipped her tea, "Who knew bad posture would make you a great detective?"

"You seemed too passive about the people's safety," he paused before he took a drink, "But bombing the city yourself to get the city evacuated? That's low even for you."

Yully blew at her tea, "With Kuvira's plan as it is, I'd say that'Ss a good thing."

"Yeah well what about Benji? Because he helped and abetted you, he can be banished from Republic City." He said casually as he took another drink.

"Good I wouldn't want him caught in the evacuation stampede when Kuvira's army is marching down the streets."

Mako glanced up from his tea, "You'll be banished too."

"Not when I save the city. When Varrick, Bolin, and I tell the council about Kuvira's plan, they're going to wish they'd evacuated the city when I told them the first time. They won't care about the bombs when I explain…you already told them didn't you?" she judged by the guilty look on his face. She sighed, "Are you going to arrest me?"

Mako smiled, "Like I could. I just wanted to tell you myself before the meeting."

"Benji?"

"Told him to get out before anyone else linked him to you," Benji was tough to convince but Mako had enough evidence on the kid at an evacuated orphanage Yully owned to put him away for life.

"Thanks," she nodded understandably. Then after a moment of silence, "So what else is new?" she asked casually.

His forehead wrinkled, "Aren't you mad?"

"Why? For doing what you thought was right?"

"For turning you in?" his eyebrows furrowed slightly to one side.

Yully shrugged, "Were you conflicted about it?"

"Well yeah of course I was."

"Well no of course I'm not."

When his face both crinkled and elongated she set down her cup, "Mako, we're friends because we can separate our feelings from our sense of justice. You turned me in for reasons I can respect. I may not agree with all of them but I understand your position." Picking up her cup again she toasted to him, "You'll be a great Chief of Police one day."

But when all he did was lean back in his chair with a more than usual funny look on his face when he's trying to figure something out, she had to ask, "What?"

"Nothing just…that wasn't what I was expecting," he slowly picked up his tea and repositioned his face, "Last time I turned in a friend, Korra broke up with me."

"So will dating you be my punishment?"

Mako finished off his cup and waved for another, "You don't deserve that kind of torment."

"Yeah sure," Yully glanced down at her half-filled cup, "How are things between you and Korra by the way?"

"Fine," he said quickly, "really fine actually," he spoke slower.

"You sound disappointed."

"No I'm not…I mean…" he paused as the server set down his refilled cup, "I know I'm the least of her problems but she's completely over me. Her and Asami both."

"Do you still have feelings for them?"

"No."

"Oh so you just think you're that hard to get over?"

"No."

Yully stared as he slowly poured in his milk, "Mako you're using up your lifetime supply of 'no' in this one conversation."

Looking slightly annoyed he sighed, "I…well I guess with Korra being gone, you and Asami doing your own things, and Bolin's living his own life. I don't see you guys anymore and…and Wu doesn't even need me. I mean I raised Bolin and now he's messing up his life in his own way and I felt…that Korra and Asami really needed me…but now they don't. I just…I don't know…" he was still stirring his tea.

Yully gazed admirably at him, "Wow you're an idiot," that got him to look up, "You think no one needs you anymore? Of course we do. We just don't need you to be taking care of us. Look, you had to grow up too young; taking care of yourself and Bolin…no small task." Thinking back to her orphans, "I know it feels like you're letting them down by not being there but they can take care of them. It's you that needs to take care of you."

He looked skeptically at her, "Me?" he ignored her rapid nodding, "I don't need anything I'm fine. I have a great job that I love. Catching baddies day and night, every day. Sure it's a lot of paperwork but I protect the city. And yeah sure there's things that I miss like pro-bending games, a full nights sleep, or not doing anything the entire day or…" he stopped himself when he noticed her giggling, "What?"

Hiding behind her cup she smiled, "You're cute."

He sneered at her then drank his entire cup, "Come on you don't want to be late for your execution."

Outside the government office Korra was waiting.

"Hey," she hesitantly glanced at Yully. Sensing drama, Mako got out from between them and walked away.

"Hey," Yully returned.

Korra rolled her eyes, "The girls told me what you did. Thank you."

"Anytime."

"Yeah…" Korra started to turn towards the building but Yully called out.

"Korra?" not being able to put this in a nicer way she asked it straight, "Back in the North Pole, during our fight…did you want to kill me?"

Taken aback, Korra began, "What? No I-"

"Honestly Korra, did you?"

Thinking back, "I mean I was angry and confused and…I thought you were my enemy so I thought I hated you but I wasn't trying to kill you."

Without hesitation, "Do you think you could have?"

Korra stared at the ground for a moment before looking up aghast at Yully, "What are you talking about?"

"Because you may have to," she warned.

"To kill you?"

Yully tilted her head, "Well not me exactly but someone like me."

"Kuvira?" _well who else_ , "But you're not like her. She always thinks she's right and that she's entitled to something she's-oooohhhhh I see your point there," they both nodded seeing the similarities, "But didn't you talk to her?"

"She's far more gone than I was," she was morbidly happy to admit.

Korra plopped down to a stone bench and rubbed her hands, "She's not going to go down without a fight."

Yully sat next to her but didn't look at her, "We won't either," then thinking aloud, "It'll be like going against ourselves; someone who wants to make the world a better place. Worst of it all she _whole-heartedly_ believes that her way is the only way. Convincing her otherwise would be a waste of time and energy…So you need to be ready to do whatever it takes to stop her."

"Yully…" Korra hated to admit this, "I don't think I can stop her." She had tried to fight her…and failed.

"Stopping her won't be enough because she won't stop. You know what you need to do Korra. And it won't be like Unalaq, not with her," Yully hated talking about this, "It's different…killing a person you know, someone you relate to, feel sorry for—"

"I don't feel sorry for her," Korra doubted that she couldn't fight Kuvira, no less end her life. But she did know that she didn't empathize with her twisted cause, "She knows what she's doing will devastate thousands of lives and she doesn't care."

"And that doesn't make you feel sorry for her?" _do you feel sorry for me_ _…_ , "But maybe that's why you have to do it." Korra didn't say anything so Yully decided to share her most conflicted realization about herself. A realization that might make this easier for Korra, but made it harder for herself. She looked out at the daily lives of the people around her and smiled, "I'm glad that I died…the first time anyway." She didn't let Korra express her confusion but continued to speak of her nightmare, "Can you imagine what sort of Avatar I would've been? Under the Red Lotus?" She dreamed of ruins by her hands spread throughout the world, "I really would've been the Dark Avatar…" she closed her eyes on the thought, "So I'm glad that you're the Avatar…and not me."

Korra had never revealed to Yully the Red Lotus's plan for her. She never had the heart to tell her she was so close to achieving the Red Lotus's future. That she had almost became what she despised and feared. She had unknowingly saved them back then but unwittingly helped Kuvira now.

"How can you say that? Will killing Kuvira will make you happy?"

Yully opened her eyes, "No it won't," she said harshly then spoke as if she was drained of energy, "Killing…it's a weight that never gets lighter. But if I can bare that weight and save others from knowing what's it like to lose someone they love then…it's worth it."

She knew she shouldn't ask but Korra couldn't help it, "How many?"

Yully shook her head, "I don't count the lives I took, but the lives I saved."

"Does it help?"

Yully stared far off into the ground, looking so tired, "Sometimes."

The clicking of heels on pavement made them both look up to see Asami walking towards them, "Meeting's about to start."


	39. Book 4: Episode 9

**Episode 9: NO MANS LAND**

The council room was packed with the world leaders; President Raiko, Ford Lord Izumi, Tenzin, Prince Wu and his council, Desna and Eska, Lin, Korra and Chief Sukav. In front of President Raiko was Yully's outline for Republic City's defense against an invasion, it had been at the bottom of his desk. And at the front of the room standing before them all was Varrick, Bolin, and Yully. For the past hour they have been retelling the past few days' events to the most minuet detail over and over for each repetitive question asked of them. And for the full past minute Yully had been asked the same question twenty different times. She was running out of ways to say yes.

"And then you just left?" the old Earth councilmen asked.

"Yup."

"You assisted in Korra's escape, had a talk with Kuvira, and you left?" The balding Earth councilmen asked.

"Pretty much."

"You didn't negotiate any terms of release for Suyin or her family or Zaofu?" Raiko asked.

"Yes," she repeated.

"So you did?" Lin's attention perked up.

Slowly repeating the question in her head, she retracted, "No…I meant yes I did _not_ negotiate any terms of release for Suyin or her-"

Lin cut her off, "Why not?"

This was Yully's third time trying to explain herself. She must not be doing a good job, "I didn't go for that," she had already been berated for 'deserting her post in Republic City to have an undisclosed parlay with the enemy'. She didn't know what parlay meant but she doubted it was a type of tea. "I wanted to speak to Suyin to see what she planned to do about Kuvira. And if a meeting under a friendly truce were possible with Kuvira to determine her militia status. And if you look at my outline—"

Lin pounded her fist on the table, "That was before she captured the city and my family!"

"And I fulfilled my duties none the less."

"How did you even know that Kuvira was marching onto Zaofu?" Tenzin calmly asked.

Unwilling to put her orphans, whom now lived with families throughout the Earth Kingdom, at risk Yully shrugged and gave an answer at the top of her head, "A hunch."

A few of the delegates groaned tiredly. Raiko repeated another already answered question, "Did you even try to make a deal with her for the release of the city?"

"Of course not." She wasn't sure how asking the same question different ways would result in a different answer, but the mood had definitely changed.

Lin was enraged, "Of cour-Of course not?! Why of course not?"

Yully slowly explained, "Suyin went against her word. And despite the Avatar's and my own advice, she broke the truce she had made with Kuvira. It was not my place to intervene with their affairs."

"She captured my family as prisoners of war!"

"And that's not my problem," Yully said flatly.

"Yue," Raiko firmly warned, "could you perhaps show the slightest of efforts to not be so apathetic?"

"But it was the impulsive actions of emotional interests that-" she tried to explain but Lin shot up out of her chair.

"Emotional interests!"

Yully stood up there alone, Bolin and Varrick sinking away into the background.

The elderly Earth councilmen groaned, "Yue you must be aware that most people do not have the misfortune to view family as a distraction."

Yully glanced over at her Uncle Sukav, embarrassed. She was about to counter the insult when Tenzin spoke up, "What we are trying to understand Yully is why you didn't stop Kuvira from seizing Zaofu to put an end to her rebellion."

Yully almost sounded sorry, "Because I couldn't."

"Couldn't or wouldn't?" the third Earth councilmen grumbled under his breath.

"Please," Raiko's patience was near an end, "elaborate Yue."

It was a relief to be asked a new question, "This is no longer a rebellion. It's a revolution. Too many people believe in its ideals to be stopped. They lived—they know what it's like to be self-sufficient. If not Kuvira or Baatar Jr someone else will come along with the same idea but with bent up anger for how long it's taken them to live freely. There is no way to extinguish hope like that."

"What about her army?" the Earth Councilman apparently didn't like her answer, "What if we divide her army and take them out one section at a time using our nations combined forces?"

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Fire Lord Izumi narrowed her eyes at the Earth Council, "Take them out? By eradicating their homes and families so their hope is useless to them? Should we kill thousands of desperate people? Destroy their dreams when they are just hoping and fighting for a better future? My people were responsible for that once. I will not see it happen again. If you want to fight Kuvira, it will be without the Fire Nation."

"And my people would be of no use to your cause," Chief Sukav said, "We are a people of the sea and ice. We have not the place to fight for rock and metal."

"Who says she will stop at the Earth Nation?" Tenzin argued.

"She already broke her promise to step down from power. The Earth Kingdom may not be enough for her." Raiko discerned.

"Kuvira is clever, deceitful, powerful, and influential. If we don't want her to take over the world…why not just kill her. We have numerous reports, your own included Yue, that Kuvira is creating some sort of spirit energy weapon. She'll be unstoppable. How else could we defeat her?"

"And how do you plan to kill Kuvira?" Fire Lord Izumi challenged.

The Earth Council's eyes fell upon Yully. Then everyones eyes were on her. She was waiting for someone to oppose this idea, but no one did. This meeting had become a standoff between the Earth Council and herself. She stared back at them with hard eyes, "I will not be a weapon of mass destruction."

"Why not? You've taken many lives in the past," a councilman said lightly.

Yully's eyes bore into the floor, "Which is why I will not now," she said through her teeth. It would be no use to explain her real reason. She didn't think she could kill Kuvira. It'd be like killing herself. Who she was back then. And if things hadn't gone the way they did, she'd be the one leading the rebellion. Or worse…

"Just because she's a friend of yours or do you pick and choose what you want to destroy?"

Pulling her eyes off the floor she looked at every single one of them, "If I begin to make exceptions now then I will simply be your last resort in the future. That is not my place as it is not my place to fight Kuvira."

Now everyone's eyes fell on Korra who had stayed quiet throughout the entire meeting. As if sensing her discomfort, Sukav gently asked, "Korra…are you in any condition to go against Kuvira?"

Looking at the table, Korra shook her head, "I tried to fight her…I lost."

"We appreciate you efforts Avatar Korra," a councilman offered, "If only Yue was just as humble to accept her duties."

"Humble?" Yully couldn't help but chuckle.

"If the Avatar cannot fight Kuvira you must. Or will you not help us in our hour of need?" the old man fired back.

"I already helped you and I'm being lectured for it!"

"You haven't helped us, you've helped Kuvira," The balding one said.

The third one pointed a chubby finger at her, "You sympathized with her and you respect her over Suyin and her family and this council. That's why she agreed to a meeting only with you. You're probably in league with her."

"I'm the only one she can trust to keep my word!" Yully snapped.

The room fell quiet for a moment before the nameless councilman asked, "And does that 'word' of yours involve any similar ideals in this revolution as Kuviras?"

The table rose upward, towering over her, leaving her alone in the pit. Yully stared hard into the floor, banishment was starting to sound pleasant.

"Well?" Raiko urged her to answer.

"Yes."

"Yully," Sukav stared in disbelief.

"You know that I believe that the Earth Kingdom would prosper greatly if they enforced a different choice of leader. In order to select the best person possible to rule. Royal or not. I believe a ruler who truly cares for the people should be in power. Not a council that tells an immature child to rule the kingdom."

"How dare you-" the eldest council started to stand up.

But Yully shouted, "Prince Wu! What is your opinion in this matter?"

A flustered Wu jolted upright in his chair and cleared his throat, "Why yes I believe we should take great caution in these troubled times and that we need to keep of feet-our faith in the Avatar," he said triumphantly.

"Thank you Prince Wu," Yully stared at the council, embarrassed for them.

"No, thank you Yue," Wu's sultry gaze made Yully roll her eyes.

"I was granted power over the Fire Nation by lineage," commented Fire Lord Izumi.

"Yes, were you and you too Sukav," Yully agreed, "but you were raised with a strict and disciplined regiment that prepared you to rule over a nation that you care about. That obviously is not true in all cases," Yully glanced over at Wu cleaning his nails.

"Has it escaped you, that Kuvira is not trying to collect their votes but their loyalty to her."

"She's trying to build an empire to herself!" the Earth Council reminded her.

Yully decided to point some facts out to them, "We've done more good rebuilding the kingdom after it fell apart from that selfish Queen than that woman ever did in her entire reign. I constructed a system where the provinces elect their governor and the governors have a council with each other. The nation haven't been more economically stable in decades!"

But the Earth Council was relentless, "During all this time you spent together with Kuvira establishing this illegal system of government who's idea was it to overthrow our monarchy rule?"

This was it, the question that will bury her in that pit. Yully spoke slowly, "There was never a plan to overthrow-"

"Who's idea was it?" the councilman asked harshly.

"Mine!" she shouted.

More silence, like the grave. Raiko spoke sourly, "Your ideals inspired Kuvira? Inspired this rebellion?"

"I had no idea of the lengths she'd go with her military. I tried to tell you-"

But the Earth Council bombarded insults on her, "You brought this war upon us!", "You're just a culpable as Kuvira!", "Traitor!"

Raiko pointed his finger at her, "Your gestures towards replacing the Earth Kingdom's monarchy were nullified Yue. You were instructed to desist from further interest in the matter months ago."

"An interest to save the kingdom from being forgotten by their ruler because he had a hair appointment seems to be a logical concern!"

"That was one time!" Wu cried.

Ignoring him, Yully continued, "Any other reaction to that injustice would have been indifference and neglect of my power." _They had to understand_ _…they had to…it was just a mistake…_

"I can't help but notice Yue," the elderly councilman hissed, "that your disregard for tradition and challenging a monarch system is somewhat of a habit of yours. Wouldn't you agree Avatar Korra?"

But Korra remained silent. Instead the old man went on, "Your blatant attacks against higher order has been excused for far too long. President Raiko I move an order to remove Yue from this council and banished as her loyalty is less than competent."

The other Earth councilmen seconded and third the decision. Waiting again for shouts of opposition, Yully was again defended by silent. She looked at every one of them. Her uncle, Korra, Lin, and even Tenzin were contemplating her removal. The silence stung harsher than the whips and harder than the clubs.

Her stomach was turning and her nostrils stung. Not being able to hold back her emotions any longer, she gritted her teeth. "You cowards," she growled, "You'd rather me put Baatar on a string for Kuvira? Or simply kill her and Baatar and the entire army instead of sacrificing your pride and power to someone fit to rule! You don't want change because it wouldn't benefit you!" taking a breath, Yully glared at the Earth Council, "When this monarchy falls, the ones on top fall the hardest. And all your fancy clothes, big homes and shiny jewelry will only bury you deeper in the rubble."

Turning her back on them she made her way towards the door. It burst open as one of the councilmen called out, "Is that a threat?"

To which Yully called back, "You would see the future as a threat!" her voice bouncing down the long hallway.

Leaning over the table towards Korra and Tenzin, the balding councilmen asked, "Avatar Korra it would be very unwise to let her go without supervision. With this conflict we cannot allow her to return to Kuvira's forces."

But before they got an answer, the Earth councilmen were lifted out of their seats. Hovering a little off the floor, their bodies twitched at the uneasiness of blood-bending.

From down the hallway, Yully had stopped with her hand curled like a puppeteer's claw. Her voice sounded down the hall clearly, "What is it that I can and cannot do councilmen? Because I would be more concerned with what you can and cannot do."

The moment of tension was broken when Korra stood up from the table, "Yully…I can't do this on my own."

Unfazed, Yully continued to walk away, "You should have a talk with your nephew Lin. I don't think he's ready for married life."

It wasn't until the rumbling of the outer doors down the hall closing shut did the council regain control of their bodies.

Korra sunk back into her chair as the old men wheezed on the ground. Then another sound reverberated throughout the room; a crisp slow clap from a seemingly impressed Desna. Beside him Eska was leaning over the table, her chin resting on her hands, "Finally, something interesting," she sighed, and then was bored again.

 **ELSEWHERE**

Dropping the guards had been easy. She doubted that they would had actually done anything to resist her, but she was in a foul mood and didn't want to be interrupted. The old air in the tunnel was dank and cold. Reaching the door, she wondered what it would take to imprison her. It wasn't until she walked through the door that she realized she was setting herself free. There in the middle of the room, in the middle of the air, mediated Zaheer. His chain only allowed him to go a certain distance, but he had a far reach on Yully.

Taking in the fresh air and a familiar scent, Zaheer was brought back into the cave. Slowly opening his eyes and seeing Yully close the door, he remained emotionless.

"I was wondering if I'd ever see you again." Lowering himself to the ground, he sat with his legs crossed.

"This'll be the last time, trust me." She walked towards the platform Zaheer was chained to.

A faint smile cracked across his lips, "Do you plan to kill me? I'm afraid you're a little too late for that. I've been dead for some time now. Has long has it been?"

"Two years."

He nodded sadly, "Is that all? I live in the spirit world so much that being here is death."

"So I'd actually be doing you a favor by releasing your spirit from your body?" she walked onto the platform and gracefully sat down within reach of Zaheer.

"Poetic isn't it?"

"Why haven't you just done it yourself?" Yully sneered at him.

"Because I've been waiting for you." He said simply.

"Why? So you can kill me again?" she shook her head, "It won't matter. The Avatar cycle will continue with or without me and especially without you."

"Yes that moronic society. Haven't you noticed a pattern for those types. The tyrant queen, the fool prince, and soon that idiotic president will be overthrown."

"And thanks to you an even worse leader is trying to make an empire."

Zaheer raised his eyebrows, "I can't take all the credit, you helped her get there too."

Yully glared at him, "How would you want the world to be ruled? By anarchy and chaos?"

"We would all be equal and it'd be fair. And in order for new growth, the old must be destroyed."

"You need to give it a chance. Not give up on it and destroy it at the first sign of struggle. And speaking of not wanting leaders, what were you to the Red Lotus if not their leader? We all have roles in life whether that be a leader or an inventor or a farmer but we work together as one. We live as one."

"Except the Avatar," Zaheer challenged, "She is the imbalance."

"Extremists like you are the imbalance. Going from one end of the spectrum to the other, it's a pendulum swing so no one is content. Balance is somewhere in the middle but instead of trying to find it you'd rather bring everyone down to your level because you can't see theirs."

"And what's wrong with playing on a level field?"

She leaned forward and glared, "You killed me. So no matter how low your playing field is, I'll always be six feet under it."

Zaheer nodded sympathetically, "Its hard isn't it? Living a hard life for so long, believing you're the good guy. Then to be thrown into an easy life where you're the bad guy."

"Depends on your perspective. And right now," she waved her hand and released Zaheer from his chains, "its only you and me. You have nothing to live for but what would you die for?"

Zaheer rolled his wrists and shoulders, then rested his hands onto his knees, "I told you, I'm already dead. Are you?"

Firmly shaking her head, Yully was able to answer honestly, "Not anymore."

Acknowledging that, Zaheer peacefully closed his eyes and drifted into the spirit world. Sensing he was gone, Yully leaned over and placed her palm on his forehead and the other on his chest.


	40. Book 4: Episode 10

**Episode 10: OPERATION BEIFONG**

Korra reemerged from the Spirit World, "They said no," she told the despairing group waiting for her.

Raiko turned away in annoyance, "Well that's just fantastic," he lectured, "No Fire Lord army, no help what-so-ever from the Water Tribes, the spirits won't help, Varrick refuses to make create another spirit weapon for us, and Yue's betrayed and banished! What else can go wrong?"

Just then an out of breath guard came running up behind them, "President Raiko!"

"Oh comon!" he shouted, thrusting his fists down through the air.

The now embarrassed and slightly confused guard looked questionably at Raiko as he said, "It's Zaheer sir."

 _Figures_ , "He's escaped?" Raiko asked bitterly.

"He's dead sir."

Everyone blinked in disbelief at the guard. "How?" Raiko asked warily.

The guard took a deep breath and shook his head. He wasn't about to tell them that he had fallen at his post, "I don't know sir, he just is."

Raiko looked out towards the prison and scowled, "Yue…"


	41. Book 4: Episode 11

**Episode 11: KUVIRA** **'S GAMBIT**

Tenzin and Korra infiltrated the airship easily enough. It was just finding Baatar Jr quickly so not to get spotted. They decided to follow a guard carrying a handful of scrolls who just happened to drop one and mutter 'why does Baatar even need all these'. And sure enough there were two guards posted outside the door which the carrier went into. Quickly and silently they took out the posted guards then burst into the room. They tossed the guards into room then took out the carrier. And there sitting at the desk was an annoyed Baatar Jr.

"Your mother would like a word with you Baatar about your new friends," Tenzin scolded.

But Baatar slid his mouth into a smile, "The thing is that with my new friends…" he pressed a small button beneath his desktop, "I'm never alone."

The adjacent door on the side of the room flew open and half a dozen guards flooded into the room. Tenzin and Korra stood ready to fight, but the attack never came. They glanced at each other, wondering what they should do as the guards seemed stuck to the floor.

"The thing is Junior," the line of guards were, more or less, dragged aside to create a small opening for a rather small soldier. Making their way in front of the other guards, the soldier removed their mask to reveal a silver-haired surprise, "that an army is like a body. Its leader, Kuvira, is like the brain and the weapons expert, that'd be you, is the very heart of the army. A body can survive with an absent brain, not well but it survives. But a body without a heart," her clawed fingers curled into fists and the line of guards behind her dropped to the floor with a sickening thud, "collapses."

Baatar Jr looked as if his own heart stopped, making it easier for Tenzin and Korra to apprehend him.

Yully wasn't able to look at Tenzin. The quietness at the World Leaders opposition vote for her banishment echoed in the room between the three of them. Finally Yully turned and stepped over the sleeping guards to shut the door, having to nudge a leg out of the way.

"What were you doing in Kuvira's army?" Korra loudly whispered as she tied Baatar's hands.

"Laying low and waiting for you to kidnap Junior," she walked over to Baatar's desk and began to riffle through the scrolls.

"How'd you know we'd take him?" she asked helping Tenzin lift Baatar out of the chair and into a bag.

"I practically told you to at the meeting."

"So you meant to get banished?"

Yully pocketed a scroll and continued to flip through the others, "Well no…but like that was going to stop me."

"I thought you were against this plan," Korra kicked out the window leading out to the fresh night air. Tenzin whistled out to signal for Jinora and Kai to join them.

"I am, but you weren't. And you needed some time to get that poison out and get your strength back."

Korra tied the roped bag to her glider and to Tenzin's, "I thought you left to make me fight her on my own."

Yully leapt onto the window sill, looking back at her, "Oh comon Korra, you didn't think I was that heartless."

Korra rolled her eyes as Yully fell out the window laughing to herself.

 **SATO WAREHOUSE**

It was safe to say that Suyin was less than happy to see her son and even more so seeing him tied up in a chair. But not as upset as she was about seeing Yully again. Korra had to explain that it would take everyone one to take down the Colossus.

Still not satisfied, Suyin marched up to Yully and got in her face, "I don't trust you and I don't forgive…but we need you. Best do what you can to redeem yourself."

Yully had had her old look of a kicked dog since entering the warehouse. Unable to meet Suyin's scowling eyes, she pulled out the scroll from Baatar's desk and handed it to her. Without waiting for her to open it, Yully sulked off to a stack of crates, leapt onto the ledge and began to tinker with a piece of broken metal. Rolling out the scroll revealed a diagram of the Colossus; the engine room, control room, passage ways and entrance points. Not bothering with awkward apologizes, the group looked over the map in Asami's office as Yully stood guard over Baatar. There was an entrance point at the head and was in full view of the control room deck. The other entrances would be hard to get to while in action. They looked over weak points and handed out the mission objectives to the teams.

Returning back to the main hanger, they stood around as Korra interrogated Baatar Jr. Unfortunately he called her bluff, even as she was in the Avatar State threatening him.

It was then that she was conflict with herself again. She couldn't hurt him even though he was the key to stopping Kuvira. And they were running out of time. But even with so much on the line, she couldn't bring herself to do it. _What will happen when I face Kuvira?_ She set him down and looked at him, "You're right I can't," then she turned her gaze onto Yully, "but she can."

Yully let the hovering piece of metal fall into her hand and nodded. Whether to accept the task or reassuring Korra it was fine that she couldn't do it, either way Korra nodded back and walked away. Yully looked down thoughtfully at Baatar Jr, "That's some really nice shoulder pads you got there, they look a little big though."

The shoulder pads began to clamp down on his shoulders. He grimaced against the pain and began to sweat. Suyin yelled out, "Stop that's enough!"

Yully gave the metal one more good squeeze and stopped.

But it was enough as Baatar screamed through his clenched teeth, "Okay Okay I'll talk to her!"

Yully released the clamps, "Slight bruising," was her verdict.

Suyin ran to Baatar and held his face for a moment. Suyin was replaced by Korra kneeling next to him with the radio.

 **Warehouse Blown Up.**


	42. Book 4: Episode 12

**Episode 12: DAY OF THE COLOSSUS**

 **Battle**

The Colossus was the main target but the smaller mecha-suit soldiers were blasting the air-benders out of the sky one by one. Yully, Wei, and Wing focused on the soldiers while the rest of the group targeted the Colossus. At best, they were able to distract the mecha-soldiers. Yully was able to hold the suits in her grasp but nothing else. So they resorted to blocking off streets, burying the suits into the ground then creating a pool of lava around the feet. But the soldiers were too fast, too well manufactured that they climbed out of the lava and burst through the earth walls. It wasn't until Varrick had rigged up a giant electric rod, similar to the one in the village, and zapped the mecha-suits that the soldiers were stopped in the useless hulk of metal.

"They've been compromised sir!" One of Kuvira's head techs yelled out and pushed the intercom for all mecha-soldiers but got silence, "How will we tell the men to evacuate?" his hands danced over the control board hitting all the buttons. Kuvira shouldered him aside and pulled out a key, "We won't."

The techs eyes widened, "But sir the men are still inside!"

"And they will be honored for their sacrifice," she inserted the key and a red button flicked on. A red light also appeared on every control board in the mecha-soldiers. The men stared unblinking at the flashing light. But before she had a chance to push the button she was jerked backwards to the other side of the control room. Catching herself she flung out an arm and brought the mutinous crewman to his knees then threw them down the man hole in the center of the room. The three other tech-men looked with horror as Kuvira glared at them. Daring them. But they turned back to their controls as she walked back and pushed the button. The mecha-soldier suits exploded. It took a full minute for her to push the detonation button for the mecha-soldier suits. A full minutes warning for the men to abandon their suits. What Kuvira was unaware of however was that one of the techs in her control room had installed a one way radio in every soldiers lapel with its own battery system for this very event. A freak accident at one of the villages had him install this last-minute device. A device he had activated immediately when they lost connection with the soldiers. The soldiers had heard everything.

With the mecha-soldiers out for the battle Yully and the twins joined up with the others. The Hummingbirds were ready, now just to get them to land. Yully volunteered to remain outside and help slow down the Colossus for the Hummingbirds assisted by the twins. Their plan was to use cables to tie down on left arm. Wei threw the cables up to the top of a building where Wing fed out the line to Yully who was flying around the waist and the arm. On the tenth time around Yully secured the line to the waist and joined the twins on top of the building.

"On three; one, two, three!" she shouted and the three of them pulled the cable line tight. The slack line around the arm and torso was getting shorter and shorter. Not understanding why the arm wasn't moving, Kuvira ordered more power to the left arm. But the cables were holding the arm to the side and when it was as taut as they could get it the trio released their hold. The cables held.

"See what you can do about the legs! I'll hold the other arm!" Yully ran off the side of the building and flew to the other side of the Colossus atop the tallest building.

 **Fight Battle Destruction**

The twins were able to push the Colossus over by tearing off a foot, the giant fell into the side of a building. Korra was able to freeze it there with its right arm encased in ice, with an opening directly into the center of the chest. The Sato Hummingbird landed on the chest and set to work. Kuvira ordered more power to the right arm. Suyin and Lin made for the right arm as disarming the cannon was their mission. They found a way in by the cartridge chamber. But the ice was beginning to crack with the extra boost of power. Suyin and Lin started to tear at the inner workings. Just as big chucks of ice began to rain down the arm stopped resisting. Kuvira ordered more power to the arm but there was none left to transfer. Out on top of the tallest building behind the right arm, Yully strained to pull her right arm back as her left arm was pushing against the Colossus.

Kuvira yelled 'Fire' and the spirit cannon blasted Suyin and Lin off their feet within the cannon. The beam was mere feet away from the Sato Hummingbird, firing into a building as well as its own left arm. The cannon blast rocketed the arm backwards into the building behind it. Deep in mediation Yully was only pulled out of it by the ground falling away from her. Already in the shower of debris she encircled herself with an protected sphere of air and was buried in the rubble.

The left arm looked like a bite was taken out of it, the cables swung loosely through the air. Kuvira ordered a reversal in the right arm's energy but the arm was unresponsive. So she ordered a transfer of energy to the left arm. Just as Asami flew out of the cockpit the hand slammed down onto its chest and the Hummingbird.


	43. Book 4: Episode 13

**Episode 13: THE LAST STAND**

Blasting her way out of the rubble, Yully regrouped with the air-benders making sure they were all safe. Now that Suyin and Lin had disabled the cannon they jumped out of the arm as Kuvira wrenched it off and threw it into the distance. A minute later Yully watched the Colossus stop moving then jolted about wildly. After telling the air-benders to get to cover she flew up near the Colossus's head. Through the windows she could see Kuvira and the three metal-bending techs standing against Korra.

"You don't like to fight fair do you?" Korra snarled at them as she backed up against the control board.

Kuvira viciously smiled, "All is fair in love and war."

"Because blowing up your fiance was fair?" Korra saw from the peripheral of her eye that the windows were shaking.

"I love this war!" Kuvira shouted.

The windows exploded inward, Korra ducking just in time as Yully rolled out into the control room. Standing up from out of the roll she blasted the metal-benders to the lower deck and down into the chest. This was Korra and Kuvira's fight.

 **Korra and Kuvira fight**

 **Bolin and Mako sabotages spirit heart**

Bolin was carrying Mako as he ran down a catwalk trying to get lower and farther away. Hearing clattering from above, Bolin looked up to see Yully fighting off two metal-benders along the catwalks.

He had to tell her to get lower, "Yu-"

But Colossus exploded into two.

Emerging out from the control room, Kuvira fled into the spirit forest with Korra running after her.

"Kuvira stop!" she pleaded, "We can work this out. Please talk to me! We need to work together!"

Korra dropped down into a meadow within the forest with the vines hanging down from the canopy. Kuvira stood beneath the severed cannon hanging within the vines. Korra slowly walked towards her as Kuvira seemed to be in a daze.

"Kuvira please…you win. The city is in ruins. The people are scared and the world leaders are listening. They'll listen to you."

"No…they won't," Kuvira thought back to the control room. Those control techs were her most trusted, and one of them fought against her. She felt the others were against her too. She knew it. Baatar had given her up and he was her most loyal soldier. Her most trusted and loyal didn't listen to her. She thought back to Yully; the most powerful bender, aside from Korra in the Avatar state, and yet she was not listened to by the World Leaders. They remained loyal to Korra and they will always remain loyal to her. Kuvira glared over her shoulder.

"They listen to you…no matter what! Even after 100 years without the Avatar, the people stayed loyal to you! They believed in you! Even when you lost your bending! And when you lost the Avatar Spirit! The people shouldn't depend on you for anything!" she wailed, "But they do! They depend on you…and you never had to earn it. You just have it! Despite your defeats and weaknesses they still have faith in you! WHY?!"

Korra had been through a lot these past three years, but she hadn't learned anything until she was at her weakest in the swamp. Before coming to Republic City she had no doubt in who she was, but these three years tore her and her identity apart to the point where she didn't know who she was anymore. But now she knew and could say in confidence of what the Avatar really meant.

"They don't have faith in me, they have faith in the Avatar! The Avatar is what brings everything together. Love, peace and harmony between the four nations and the spirit world. Between us all! The Avatar gives balance and reason to our lives, it's hope! Don't you see? The Avatar is bigger than me and it's bigger than you! It's the entity that connects us all! We're connected by hope and love and…pain and despair. It's not just me that can save the world, it's every single person that realizes that they can change the world—together! I'm just a symbol of that, to show that it's possible for all things to be connected. I do what I can to make the world a better place. Just like everyone else."

Kuvira wanted to make the world a better place, but she couldn't be the better person. She scowled at Korra, "Well I think its time we have a new symbol."

Metal-bending herself up to the cannon, she loaded the last cartridge and pulled the trigger. The beam aimed for Korra but she dodged out of the way. Seeing that the cannon was still firing, Kuvira swung the arm towards Korra. The beam began to swing wildly out of control as the forest began to glow; the gun absorbing power directly from the forest. And the beam was glowing brighter too as it shot through the forest and into the city and sky. Korra realized that the cannon would level the entire city swinging around like that. Jumping into the beam's path, Korra stood her ground and threw all of her energy and spirit into the beam. She felt the beam absorb her completely, forming a bubble of pure energy reaching to the end of the meadow. Then she rejected the energy upward into the sky. The bubble of energy was sucked upward until only a small circle surrounded where Korra stood. Everything else that was in the meadow was dissolved into the spirit beam, stretching up into the sky. Then a blast of energy outward sent dust clouds throughout the city streets.

Something rocked the torso of the Colossus, awakening Bolin. Mako was still unconscious. Wondering what had happened Bolin suddenly remembered, "Yully? Yully!" his voice echoed throughout the torso.

A clamoring of metal behind him made him jump, "You don't have to yell, I'm not dead." Yully slowly sat up.

"For once," Bolin grumbled as he made his was towards her. He lifted a slate of metal that was pinning her leg. What she dragged out was her foot but it was awfully sideways.

"Alright and up we go," he swung her arm over his shoulder and helped her up, "Oooffpphh…you've gotten heavy," he grunted.

"You've gotten soft," she winced as she made herself a cane out of some railing.

With Bolin carrying Mako and Yully limping along they made it to a hatch and outside. But it wasn't like before, the ground was covered in vines. Slowly making their way back to the city they found the air-benders treating the wounded.

"This looks like the right place," Bolin slung Mako onto a random mattress lying in the street and dragged him alongside the other wounded. Others that included mecha-soldiers. They had abandoned their mission and had surrendered to Tenzin. Bolin couldn't convince Yully to sit and wait to be treated so she limped around to help the other wounded first.

Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo were standing at the new portal in awe. Even more so when Korra came walking out of it alone.

 **Wedding**

It was a beautiful ceremony and the reception was enchanting. Yully and Asami sat on the edge of the party as to watch it all at once, admiring the bliss. Yully was so excited she was able to find a dress that covered her wrapped up foot. It was peach colored with gold lace across the neck and waist-belt. A gift from Tenzin, Lin, and Suyin as an apology, though they hardly needed to.

Clinking her father's ring against her glass of bubbly wine, Asami smiled at it all, "I can get used to this."

"Yeah it's pretty awesome," Yully was mesmerized by the music, her head bouncing along with it.

"Did you see how Opal was gushing over Zhu Lee's dress?" Asami smirked.

"And Bolins' face," Yully mimicked the frightening wide-eyed look for a second before breaking into laughter, "I never saw him so eager to ask Varrick about his face cream."

After another minute of laughing Asami looked over at how happy Bolin and Opal looked, "Funny that he'll probably be the first of us to get married huh?"

"I don't know about that," Yully took a sip of her champagne, "Wu told me he had a romantic serenade for Korra that he composed himself. Oh it's so terrible it's great!"

Asami stole a glance over towards Korra, "Have you talked to her?"

"Yeah I told her she can slip away during the third verse. He does this sorta dance-"

"No," she whispered seriously, "the-the other thing?"

"Oh…uh no," the laughter was gone, "Every time I try…I don't know what—how to say it."

Asami touched her ring, "She wasn't this upset over Unalaq," she mentioned.

But Yully took off in a full break down analysis, "Maybe she knew Unalaq was already gone when she fought him, that she couldn't save him. And she thought she could still talk Kuvira out of it…but she's upsetting herself for no reason. Kuvira was past the point of saving."

"How can you judge that? People can change you know…" she spun her ring around her finger thoughtfully.

Yully cringed at herself, "Asami…I'm so sorry I didn't mean—"

"I know," she looked up sweetly, "It's alright."

Yully still felt bad, "You should probably be the one to talk to her about it," she comically raised her voice and primly folded a white napkin across her lap, "I'm not exactly known for being Miss Proper Sensitivity."

Asami, who had been taking a drink, nearly choked and sprayed the entire table with her wine. They busted up laughing wiping themselves off.

They didn't stop laughing until Yully causally looked back out to the dance floor and dove under the table.

"What are you-" Asami giggled, peering under the table cloth.

Yully pulled it back down, "Sssshhhh don't look at me. I'm not here."

Confused Asami looked up to see what had frightened her and she found it standing directly in front of the table, "Oh Huan! So good to see you!"

"Miss Sato," he bowed politely then smoothed back his hair, "Did you see Yue pass by here. I could have sworn I saw her aura bringing light to this conformable event." He looked at the air around the table.

Taking a second to think, Asami grinned, "You know I can't say anything about the lighting, but Yully's under the table."

A loud thud and shaking of the cutlery drew their eyes towards Yully crawling out from under the table.

Awkwardly standing up besides Asami, she tried to look relieved, "Found that grape I dropped," and popped it into her mouth.

Asami slyly looked up at her, "You didn't drop a grape."

"Yeah that wasn't a grape," she grimaced trying not to cough.

Seeing her work there had been done Asami stood up, "Well I'll let you two catch up," and slid away.

"Yue," Huan took Yully's hand and link his arm with hers, "when was the last time you did something for the first time?"

Yully looked helpless as she leaned away from his wooing smile, "Uuuhhhh…"

"Lets start," Huan swept his other hand across the sky, "by quieting our minds so that our hearts can lead the way."

 **ELSEWHERE**

"Hey Mako," Asami walked up smiling to herself, "Yully wants to dance with you."

"Huh?"

She vaguely pointed behind her, "More like save her from a certain situation over there…"

And then they saw it. Korra had to cover her mouth from laughing. Huan was in the middle of a debriefing over his wedding gift which looked like a mangle of indiscernible metal. He was passionately explaining it to Yully who was looking at it sideways, trying to figure out what it was probably.

Mako shook his head completely baffled, "Girl can escape death but not Huan the moron," and made his way over to them.

"Want to sit down," Korra gestured to a staircase a little away from the party.

 **BACK THERE**

"And that is why I would rather die of passion…than of boredom," Huan ended his epic speech.

Yully had only caught the last bit of the speech, "Which ever comes first I hope."

Huan opened his mouth again but a different voice came out, "Excuse me, but may I have this dance?"

Turning around she saw it was Mako bowing like a proper fool. "Yes please," she said too quickly then turned back to Huan, "Uh sorry Huan but…the dance floor is calling me and I must answer." She swatted at the air behind her until Mako caught her hand.

"Then I will shout it from the top of a mountain so we will hear only each other," he called out after her.

Now on the dance floor, they awkwardly swayed back and forth although it was a fast-paced song. It was the best they could do what with his wrapped arm and her wrapped leg.

Yully sighed in relief, "Hopefully he shouts it from the top of a volcano," she muttered, "You have incredible timing, that guy will not take a hint."

"But Asami said you-"

"Uuuuuuuhhh…" she let her head fall between them, her arms hooked onto his shoulders, "I shouldn't have said that. I'm such an idiot. Even with a broken foot I still end up with it in my mouth."

Mako was embarrassedly flattered. _Did she ask Asami to get me to dance with her?_ _Asami and me and me and Korra were over, but was she frightened that they_ _'d be mad?_ "She didn't seem too upset."

Pulling herself back up, she sighed, "Yeah but at least she has someone who can relate, help her through it." _If anyone could help Asami through this, it was Korra._

"I think they'll be alright," _did she pull me closer on purpose_ _…_

Yully shook her head, clearing her thoughts, "But anyway great wedding huh? Better than mine that's for sure."

 _Her hair smells so good,_ _"_ Mmhhmmm."

"Yeah, I like this dress a lot better though," she swayed in her dress. _I can breath in it._

He cursed his burnt hand for not being able to hold her waist, "Don't sell yourself short."

She looked up at him confused, "But I am short."

He hadn't noticed how pretty she was before, "No what I meant-what I mean is that you look lovellllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyoooooowwwww." Grabbing his foot with his good hand, he hopped in place muttering to himself.

Yully tried to steady him, "Oh my gosh are you okay?"

"What was that?" he squealed.

Tugging her dress up a bit he could see her foot was wrapped in a hard sort of plaster, "It's-it's called a casting," she explained. She and Varrick came up with the idea. "Here you should sit," she guided him to the closest chair.

"Felt like a ten ton rock fell on my foot," Mako was just reaching for the seat when Yully shoved him off her shoulder. Being unbalanced as he was, he wobbled over falling on his butt.

Yully crossed her arms and sat down in the chair, "I gained 15 pounds okay, but it was good healthy weight! You don't have to be mean about it," she pouted.

"What!" he shouted completely lost.

 **LATER**

"Hey Yully," Korra sat down at the table, "can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah," she nodded then turned towards Mako expectantly.

"Oh sure ask the guy with a burnt arm and now a broken foot to move," he whined.

"Without the complaining would be nice too," Korra added as he grumbled to his feet and hobbled off.

Yully turned back to Korra smiling, "So what's up."

"I'm taking your advice to explore the spirit world with Asami," she grinned excitedly.

"Really? That's great! For how long?"

"Couple weeks maybe," _some time away would be the perfect vacation_ , "You think you can look after things without inspiring another rebellion for awhile?"

Yully leaned back and shrugged, "Can't promise anything but I'll do my best."

Breaking into laughter Yully leaned forward and hugged Korra tightly. But before Korra left the table, Yully thought of something, "Hey Korra?"

"Yeah?"

Yully bit her lip, not believing she was saying this, "The heart wants what the heart wants right?" she glanced behind Korra, "When it comes to love?"

Thinking on it, Korra smiled, "Yeah?"

Bobbing her head, Yully smiled back, "You two have fun."

Korra shook her head in confusion and stood up. Looking behind her she saw Asami waiting for her on the edge of the dance floor. She couldn't stop smiling.

Korra and Asami walk into spirit beam and motherfucking kiss!


End file.
